World Connect

Action Hope Malawi's COVID-19 Intervention

Year: 2020

Country: Malawi

Project Status: Funded

Impact Sector: Health

Project Investment: $3,297.60

Project Launch: 8-5-20

With this World Connect grant, Action Hope Malawi will conduct six COVID-19 prevention and awareness campaigns using a vehicle-mounted public address system. Additionally they will establish 20 handwashing stations in markets, maize mills, churches, and other high-traffick areas in the community. As COVID-19 has also increased the incidence of domestic violence, Action Hope Malawi will hold a meeting with social welfare officers, local leaders, and law enforcement officers to raise awareness on combating and reporting gender based violence and child abuse. The project aims to reach 60 villages across three Traditional Authorities in Zomba, Malawi with a population of over 30,000 people.

Final Report:

Using $3,297.60 World Connect response grant, Action Hope Malawi implemented a Covid 19 interventions project in TA’s Mlumbe, Mbiza and Chikowi in Zomba district. The project disseminated COVID 19 prevention messages and worked on reversing negative social impacts that have been brought forth by the pandemic such as increase in Gender Based Violence and child marriages. The team also held six stakeholders sensitization meetings with duty bearers to help enforce protective measures in their areas. The stakeholders thus drafted some action plans that act as benchmarks to monitor Covid 19 preventative measures in their communities e.g. hand washing and mask wearing adoption, proper care of the hand washing stations, GBV cases tracking and human rights violations tracking especially to underage school going children Through the project beneficiaries received sanitary packages that included soap and water buckets which they are using to prevent further spread of Covid 19. Action Hope Malawi has also established hand washing stations in five markets, five maize mills and five rural churches which were all targeted as highly accessed places. The project has reached over 25,600 people with COVID 19 prevention messages, has reversed 61 child marriages in the three TA’s since August 2020 and 18 girls were encouraged to go back and sit for their standard eight exams despite being pregnant.