Target reached!
We will be able to supply more students with a reuseable mask at nearby schools.
We will be able to supply more students with a reuseable mask at nearby schools.
Our aim to provide 2000 primary school children in Mulanje, Malawi with a reuseable mask and bar of soap.
I first met Emmanuel in Malawi in 2014 when he guided me up Mount Mulanje. We have been in touch ever since and Emmanuel has been a great source of support to me when organising different projects for the charity Medic to Medic. He approached me this week to ask for some help putting together a project to supply all school children (2000 students) at his old primary school with a mask and bar of soap so that they can continue learning at school and avoid further disruption.
Like all countries in the world, Malawian schools have been closed during the Covid-19 pandemic. They are starting to open up again but masks for children are mandatory. Although reuseable masks can be purchased relatively easily, ensuring all children with a mask in the family can be a large burden on the family income, particularly when coming from rural, farming communities where dispensable income is limited. There may also be a large number of children in one family, increasing the overall cost.
Children have had huge disruption to their learning in Malawi. Unlike other countries, children have not been able to transition to online learning as they do not have access to smart phones, tablets or laptops. Even if they did, the cost of data bundles are significant.
Emmanuel wishes to purchase 2000 reuseable facemasks from a local tailor, Nelson. We have worked with Nelson before making reuseable face visors for the Medic to Medic graduates back in March 2020. Nelson is a highly skilled tailor. By purchasing masks locally we will be able to support the local economy and community, helping the community respond to it's own challenges.
We're aiming to raise £1000 to supply all 2000 students with a reuseable mask and bar of soap. It costs 50p per student to supply them with a mask and bar of soap. The long term benefits of this project will be felt for years to come by reducing the disruption to student education. Please support us if you can!
This project successfully funded on 5th January 2022