The Project will contribute to preventing the spread of COVID19 in Mzuzu, Malawi through increased hygienic practices by more people in Mzuzu being able to access affordable WHO approved hand sanitizers and affordable cloth and medical face masks produced by 200 women with disabilities and teenage mothers. The Project will enable 200 vulnerable creative women to access income and improve livelihoods while observing shifts during production at our Tiwale Creative Women's Centre in Mzuzu.
On March 20, President Peter Mutharika declared a state of disaster due to COVID19 and banned public meetings of more than 100 people, schools closed, businesses such as hotels and factories were ordered to almost completely close .In Mzuzu hundreds of women creatives lost their income and jobs. Our World Connect supported programme halted . Confirmed COVID19 cases are now at 358, a need for affordable face masks and hand sanitizers has arisen in the community to protect against COVID19.
The project will provide employment to 200 vulnerable women and girls as they produce cloth face masks and after training, woven medical face masks. The women will also be trained in making hand sanitizers which will be sold to sustain the women their children numbering over 400. At the same time, we are targeting assisting to protect over 1000 lives from contracting COVID19 by buying and correctly using the affordable hand sanitizers and face masks.
The Project will lead to sustained reduced cases of COVID 19 and essentially, contribute to a quick reopening of the economy and schools and industries in Mzuzu. This will also lead to improved manufacturing capacity of the creative yet vulnerable women as well as increased business opportunities, once the economy opens this will be attained through the training and purchase of equipment during the Project and this will, eventually lead to reduced imports of medical masks and other garments.
