World Connect

COVID-19 Community Response Project

Year: 2020

Country: Malawi

Project Status: Funded

Impact Sector: Health

Project Investment: $3,466.67

Project Launch: 8-5-20

The Coronavirus Community Response project will serve as a myth buster in dealing with misinformation and misconceptions about COVID-19 in 28 villages in the traditional authority Kachindamoto area. The project will use mass education on COVID-19 transmission and prevention, mask production, and nutrition promotion. Twenty strategic members of the community will be trained on recognizing COVID-19 symptoms, modes of transmission, response mechanisms, prevention, spread control, sanitation practices, and nutrition promotion. Community members will also be trained on how to make protective face masks on their own, leading to increased mask availability and affordability in the area. A total of 15,043 people are expected to benefit from the project.

Project Update: 1-31-21

In its effort to educate the community and prevent spread of Coronavirus, the Kachindamoto Community Development Committee has within three months impacted 5,356 people with COVID19 recommended prevention messages including nutritional supplementation. Through community workshops and door to door meetings they have distributed and sold a total of 2,245 masks to the community to help people fight COVID19 earning a sum of $340 in the process which is helping sustain the intervention. The group has also placed 18 hand washing stations in markets, maize mills and churches. Additionally, the group distributed 3,246 (100 ml) bottles of hand sanitizer and hand washing soap to the people in surrounding villages. The project which was set to help minimize the spread of COVID19 in the area, has thus far reached over 5,300 people and continues to reach out to more as it continues. Regardless of many new people coming into the area being close to the fishing port, no COVID case has been registered. “This has been a life changing project to me, we were believing in myths and some didn’t accept the Covid 19 pandemic as a reality, thanks to World connect for the timely support and the provision of right information.” Dorisa Mbesa

Final Report: 8-31-21

With a $3,466.67 World Connect grant, 7,145 community members from Group Village Head Kakhome under Traditional Authority Kachindamoto in Dedza were trained in the prevention of COVID-19 through messages disseminated via leaflets, workshops, and door-to-door meetings. 30 hand washing stations were purchased and placed in markets, hospitals, and schools to improve sanitation. 4,587 bottles of pocket sanitizers and 4,665 pocket hand washing soaps were also distributed. A total of 48 food demonstrations were also held to promote good nutrition practices as part of boosting nutrition to fight the pandemic. The community established a face masks production space where 5,568 were produced and sold to the community, and the proceeds have been reinvested in the project to sustain production. As a result of the project, the people of Kakhome have now embraced good sanitation and nutrition practices, adopted COVID-19 prevention measures, and eliminated their earlier beliefs in the myths associated with COVID -19.