'We're More Prepared than Before: Understanding the Strategies Used by a Non-governmental Organization During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on populations worldwide, particularly on older adults residing in low - and middle-income countries. Due to these negative impacts, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) provided extensive support, which affected their operations.

Methods: Using the social resilience framework, the purpose of this study was to better understand what strategies NGOs used to support vulnerable populations and how they are building back stronger from the COVID-19 pandemic. In the fall of 2022, 26 (virtual) in-depth interviews were conducted with staff and volunteers from an NGO supporting older adults in Uganda.

Results: Several key themes emerged including using existing resources to better support older adults and staff and the importance of having multiple sources of revenue to support organizational operations.

Discussion: The key lessons learned by NGO staff and volunteers can be utilized to enact policy and practice change to help strengthen NGOs' social resilience. This would allow them to continue implementing innovative strategies to support vulnerable populations during times of crisis.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic; NGOs; Sub-Saharan Africa; public health crises; social resilience.