We hope that you are staying safe amid the upheaval caused by COVID-19. At Think Malawi we are working hard to limit the impact of COVID-19 on our Malawi projects.
Schools in Malawi have been closed since 23rd March in an effort to combat the virus; this news has come at a particularly bad time for those revising for their PSLCE exams. A country-wide lockdown may follow soon, depending on the outcome of a legal case.
The figures on 26 April listed 34 confirmed coronavirus cases and 3 deaths. These figures are likely to be heavily under-reporting of the actual number, as only a few hundred tests have so far been conducted in Malawi. Malawi’s healthcare system is heavily underfunded, to give some context from The Guardian, "In Malawi, there are about 25 ICU beds in public hospitals, serving 17 million people."
Our work continues however - we have sent an interim payment to ensure that the Ganet's Adventure School staff still receive an income, to ensure that they and their families can cope during the difficult times ahead. These funds will only last for a month or two however, so we will shortly begin fundraising in order to ensure their income will continue. If funding allows then we will aim to provide funding for the school to supply soap to needy families who send their children to the school, as well as to make up for the school's loss in income as a result of school closures, and to help put any special measures in place which are required once they reopen. We are waiting to hear what impact COVID-19 will have on the Her Education Matters project.
Here in the UK while much of our funding is in place for the year, we have already heard from one donor whose income is likely to be significantly reduced, with a likely knock on effect for our income.
If you would like to make a donation to help through this difficult time, please visit our COVID-19 impact appeal page.