Montreal, March 13, 2020 - In light of the progression of COVID-19 and the local, national and international recommendations, CECI has put into place a series of measures to ensure the security of it’s staff and volunteers as well as to contribute to efforts being taken to limit the spread of the virus, all the while ensuring the continuation of operations, which remain a priority.
A monitoring committee has been established and meets regularly to determine preventive and adaptive management measures. Our decisions are based on analysis of the most recently available information. As the situation is rapidly evolving, the committee will closely monitor new data daily in order to adapt to the changing context. We are working to reduce the impact of these measures on our activities within Canada as well as implementing countries.
The following are the measures implemented to date:
CECI is suspending all new international deployment of staff, volunteers and consultants until March 31st. After this date the situation will be reassessed.
All Uniterra Program volunteers will return to Canada early. Our volunteer mobilization team is currently working to ensure their return over the next few days (their return was initially scheduled for the end of March).
In accordance with the request of the government of Quebec, any person who has travelled is required to remain in quarantine at home for at least 14 days following their return to the country. Our volunteers and employees who must return over the following days will therefore comply with this directive.
Starting today, the majority of Montreal office employees will work from home until further notice. We have also temporarily suspended any activity or event that brings people together in Montreal.
Since March 11th, we have suspended physical access to our office in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso due to a potential transmission of the virus on the premises. Office staff have been working from home since that date and will continue to do so until further notice.
CECI staff and volunteers are frequently reminded of the security measures proposed by the health authorities.
Public health is everyone’s responsibility. We hope that these actions will contribute to the effort to limit the spread of the virus. Further, during these measures, we will adapt our ways of working and ensure the continuity of our activities and operations, which remain essential.
Our monitoring committee will continue to closely follow and evaluate the evolution of the situation and adapt the measures as new information becomes available and as new directives are issued by international authorities and of those of our operating countries.
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Audrey Cadillon, Communications Coordinator, CECI, 514-961-2234, audreyc@ceci.ca
The Centre d’étude et de coopération internationale (CECI) is an international cooperation and development NGO founded in Quebec in 1958 with a mission to combat poverty and exclusion among the most disadvantaged communities of Africa, Asia and the Americas. CECI is involved in different projects relating to humanitarian assistance, development and volunteer cooperation in over 20 countries across the world. www.ceci.ca
