Last month we were excited to write about candidate classes resuming on 4th of June. But unfortunately that directive never happened as President Museveni announced last week that schools would be closed for another 30 days.

It is certainly sad for us too as most of our activities had also been halted. We have used these past months to maintain all institutional improved cook stoves (IICS) as kitchens are not being used.

We are still getting calls and emails from new schools asking for quotations and payment plans to purchase new IICS and move away from traditional 3-stone fires and outdoors cooking as the pictures here below. Private and public schools are desperate to go back to normal but also concerned about how they will manage to implement the social distancing requirements.

It is also of worry to read reports that have looked at the consequences the ebola pandemic had in West African countries and early marriage of adolescent girls. Leaving school takes them away from friends and spaces where they develop social skills and networks as well as support systems. The importance of addressing these challenges is clear: many countries through sub-Saharan Africa have relatively young populations – the majority of the population is aged below 25 – and school closures could leave many adolescent girls vulnerable.