Donation of Face Masks and Hand Sanitizers to Protect the Homeless in Australia

Australia was affected by the COVID-19 less than its neighboring countries as they strongly controlled the spread of coronavirus in the early stage of the pandemic. However, after several lockdowns for a long period of time, the unemployment rate increased and the economy plummeted. The blockade has eased since the third quarter of last year, but the endless COVID-19 pandemic only slows the economic recovery. A bigger problem is that the population of the homeless has increased drastically. The issue with the homeless had been ongoing that the Australian government should solve, but it got even worse due to the pandemic.

The homeless do not only refer to people who sleep on the street. The Australian Bureau of Statistics defines the homeless as people who live in poor and inadequate residential spaces as well as those who do not have rights to use residential spaces freely. It includes those who live in cars and those who wander around the houses of relatives and acquaintances. Most of them become homeless due to a high rent, domestic violence, illness, financial difficulties, etc.

In order to prevent COVID-19, the governments of each country asked the people to “stay at home whenever possible.” However, homeless people were not able to follow the government’s guidelines. In order to prevent the virus, it is necessary to strengthen immunity with healthy food and to keep up with good hygiene. However, it is difficult for the homeless to do so. Thus, the homeless soon became the vulnerable to infectious diseases.

On January 27, the members from the Intl. WeLoveU Foundation supported the homeless whose lives got even harder due to COVID-19 by donating 7,000 face masks and 1,100 hand sanitizers (100/500ml) to the “Hope Street Youth and Family services” in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The head of the organization and the team leader attended the donation ceremony.

The WeLoveU members said they would look after those who are more vulnerable to the situation than others during a crisis. They believe when they put small efforts together, it becomes a great help, so they will not stop helping their neighbors.