Women For Social Change

Malawi has faced real challenges from the pandemic — at the time of writing, the Public Health Institute of Malawi reported 1,877 cases, 1,508 of them active, 345 recovered and 24 deaths.

Malawi never implemented a formal lockdown, since most people rely on daily earnings with no state assistance to fall back on, so containment measures had to fit that reality.

We bought 107 reusable cloth face masks from two Malawian entrepreneurs, Farida and Edda, who started making masks as cases began to emerge — reusable, washable masks are more sustainable than single-use ones for communities where affordability and access are limited.

We donated an equal number of masks to Women for Social Change, an initiative led by Cathy Kita, for distribution across Chikwawa District, particularly in marketplaces where keeping a distance is difficult. The masks are also available to buy individually in child and adult sizes, with proceeds supporting this work.