Not long after donating soap and reusable masks at Area 3 Police Station and Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) in Lilongwe, Our Aim Foundation donated face masks to Chichiri Prison, presented by OAF Education Director Nusrat Osman.

Osman outlined that the masks were of great importance to the prisoners, since it is hard to achieve social distancing in prison. “So at least a mask will help them when the person next to them sneezes or cough” said Osman.

According to Osman, the masks were sewn by women from the Ntongozola community in Mchinji, where the charity runs education, medical clinics and women’s empowerment centres. The masks have also therefore benefited the women, as being a source of income to them. “We empower women by teaching them sewing handicrafts classes and donate the machines and materials so they can become independent,” she said.

In swift response to the pandemic, OAF has so far donated over 10,000 face masks in hospitals and prisons in Lilongwe and Blantyre. “We are available to donate masks to any other places of need. If they want the masks and if they contact us, we will be available to donate the masks to them,” she said.