Help Development Alert Get Permanent Office

Dear Donor,

Thanks to your generous support, Development Alert has continued working with communities in areas connected to the Uganda–DRC border to strengthen awareness, preparedness, and community-level response to Ebola.

The scale of the crisis in the DRC has increased dramatically. WHO reported that the outbreak had expanded across five provinces and 49 health zones, while the latest figures reported on August 16 indicate 4,945 confirmed cases and 2,325 deaths in the DRC. Uganda has recorded 20 confirmed cases and two deaths.

For communities living close to international borders, preparedness cannot stop at national boundaries. Families cross borders for trade, work, education, healthcare, and family responsibilities. This makes community awareness, early reporting, hygiene, and coordination especially important.

Development Alert has been engaging community members with practical information about recognizing possible Ebola symptoms, reducing exposure risks, encouraging early referral, and avoiding stigma against affected individuals and families. These efforts complement the broader public-health response by ensuring that communities understand their role in protecting themselves and others.

For us, community engagement is about building trust. People are more likely to report concerns and follow public-health guidance when they receive clear information from trusted local actors.

Thank you for making this grassroots work possible. Your support is helping border communities remain alert, informed, and prepared while contributing to broader efforts to prevent further spread of Ebola across Uganda and the region.