Mask 4 All Malawi, one of the local Non Governmental Organisations that help in the fight of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the country, is currently donating reusable masks in the country’s various institutions targeting the underprivileged citizens to protect them from COVID-19.
Speaking on the sidelines of the donation of 30,000 masks to Our Aim Foundation (OAF) at its holistic community centre in Mchinji on Saturday, Mask 4 All Malawi Production Coordinator, Sharmila Elias, said her organisation was geared at assisting the underprivileged to have masks so that they are also protected.
“As an organisation, we noted that there are some Malawians who cannot afford to buy disposable masks as they are quite expensive.
“For this reason, we decided to embark on an initiative of donating reusable masks to institutions so that they should be shared to the underprivileged people as one way of helping them to prevent COVID-19.
“This will reduce further spread of the pandemic in the country,” Elias said.
Recently, Mask 4 All Malawi also organised COVID-19 sensitisation workshop at Mary Mother of the Church Parish at Benga in Nkhotakota where among other things, it donated 35, 000 reusable masks to be distributed to community members of Benga and surrounding areas.
According to Elias, the mission of the organisation is to reach out to various institutions across the country with masks so that they should be shared to all people, especially those who are needy.
“We want every Malawian, including those underprivileged, to have access to the masks. Currently, we have four million (4,000,000) reusable masks which we will donate to various institutions in all the districts in the country to be given to individuals,” she said.
In his remarks, OAF Centre Manager, Ishmael Kadango, commended Mask 4 All Malawi for its gesture, saying it was timely.
“The donation has come at the right time here in Mchinji as many villagers struggle to buy masks to protect themselves from COVID-19 due to lack of money.
“Therefore, the reusable masks which we have received will be freely distributed to people from 120 villages which are within Mchinji,” Kadango said.
Commenting on the development, Mchinji District Medical Officer, Topcy Mdolo said the masks donated to OAF would help them protect individuals from COVID-19, hence reducing the cases of COVID-19 in Mchinji.
He said currently, the district is recording high number of Coronavirus positive cases every 24 hours.
