A statement by Illovo Sugar Malawi has announced that the company has implemented a K45 million project that will see mass production of cloth facemasks amidst the rising cases of coronavirus in Malawi.

The development follows after the sugar manufacturer partnered with the Foundation for Community and Capacity Development (Foccad) in Nkhotakota, the Malawi Council for the Handicapped (Macoha) in Limbe and Daccla Design & Tailoring in Nchalo.

Prior to this initiative, the company donated medical equipment worth over K9 million to Kameza Quarantine and Isolation Centre in Blantyre, to support the facility’s capacity in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic. The statement by Illovo company secretary and head of legal and corporate affairs, Maureen Kachingwe, attributed the initiative to the company’s support for such communities. “We are providing opportunities for economic activity for the identified groups in order to give them an income during these difficult times.” said Kachingwe.