Message from UFAR’s Founder Daniel Shungu

It gives me a distinct pleasure to share a few significant highlights on the
outcomes of our planned goals and objectives for the 2022 campaign for NTD
control and elimination in DRC. Along with our 5 funding partners, UFAR
supported 15 out of 26 provincial projects, trained 9,670 medical personnel and
187,773 teachers and community drug distributors, distributed 3 drugs to a total
population of 43.8 million people or 31.9 million unique beneficiaries, living in
54,506 villages. The overall therapeutic coverage for the 5 targeted NTDs was at
least 80.5%, well above the WHO-recommended threshold indicative of progress
toward transmission interruption and disease elimination. During 2022, notable
progress was made toward eliminating NTDs in DRC. Indeed, 66 health zones in
the country have stopped the annual mass drug administration against LF,
freeing 14 million people from the fear of infection and the debilitating
complications of the disease. The same is true for Trachoma for which based on
impact and surveillance surveys, active transmission was reported stopped in at
least 15 health zones, confirming protection of millions of people from acquiring
the disease and its significant burden. These health zones are currently in the
post-treatment surveillance phase.

What We Do

Through a well-integrated and evidence-based program, UFAR manages the
distribution of preventive medicines to millions with the proven achievable goal
of the eventual control and elimination of several targeted NTDs. Our primary
responsibility is to ensure that the intended beneficiaries of the drugs “provided
free by their manufacturers” receive them annually until the goal is met.

Facing Global Adversity

In response to the COVID pandemic, the DRC promptly established a National
Taskforce for planning and implementing the World Health Organization's
guidelines. Our international partners requested that UFAR submit grant
proposals independently and/or in collaboration with the National Taskforce and
other NGOs to support the prevention of COVID-19. The initial proposal
submitted to END Fund was approved, and the planned activities'
implementation has recently been successfully carried out with strong support
from local religious organizations.

UFAR Soiree Featured
Performers

Egun Omode (translated to
children of the ancestors),
formerly from Trenton, NJ, was
founded by Baye and Makeda
Kemit and is a West African
dance, drum, percussionists,
and Yoruba folklore
performing arts collective
comprised of teachers, artists,
and students of The Garvey
School, an African-centered
independent school in
Trenton. As African-centered
educators, musicians, and
life-long students of African
culture, Egun Omode brings
the authenticity and
excitement of West African
culture and tradition to the
stage.
Nkumu Katalay is an artist,
orator, multi-instrumentalist,
and social activist born in
Kinshasa, the capital city of the
DRC, whose main objective is
to promote humanity.
Nkumu's vision highlights the
contribution of Congolese
culture to modern world
history.

Where Do the
Donations Go?

Donations provide hope and a
new life to millions of people
living in the DRC who are
among the most vulnerable in
the world. UFAR depends on
the generosity of donors to
fulfill its mission of eliminating
river blindness and other
parasitic neglected tropical
diseases in the DRC.
Large donations will go
towards purchasing
equipment such as chainsaws,
canoes, bicycles, and
motorbikes necessary to reach
remote villages in the DRC.
No matter how large or small,
gifts will be used to ensure
continuous proper annual
distribution of the NTD drugs
to over 31.9 million people
in thousands of villages, as well
as the purchase of the
following:

• Powder mills (provide an
  excellent source of
  income for blind
  individuals and their
  families)

• Bronze medals with UFAR
  logo for village chiefs

• Hats & T-Shirts as
  incentives to community
  volunteers

• Transistor radios for the
  dissemination of
  important information to
  the community

Scan the QR code below
to donate or
visit www.ufar-ntds.org/donate