The Coronavirus emergency is now a global emergency. After touching countries like Switzerland and the European continent, the pandemic is spreading to the poorest countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America. Countries where the pandemic is not only a health emergency, but also a social and humanitarian emergency: millions of people are already without food and clean water, often confined to overcrowded places such as refugees camps.
As an international organization, ActionAid immediately reacted to the emergency in over 40 countries, where we are present with our projects. Our approach to emergencies is based on a response that puts women at the forefront, focuses on the specific needs of communities and on guaranteeing the human rights of all individuals.
The pandemic must not erase the great results we have achieved over the years alongside women and communities around the world!
We urgently need to be able to do more to support the most vulnerable and save lives. Please, consider donating to our appeal. Thank you for your help.
Find out what we have already done so far thanks to the support of our Swiss and worldwide donors:
MALAWI
Malawi has one of the highest malnutrition rates in the world, with 17.5% of the population undernourished. The Covid-19 virus could severely affect those whose health is already severely compromised. The country is also largely dependent on imported food to meet domestic demand and therefore faces even greater risks related to hunger and malnutrition due to closures and lockdowns put in place to counter the spread of the virus.
In Malawi there are many women who are taking care of the sick but who do not have access to personal protective equipment, such as gloves and masks: these women risk their safety and their lives every day.
ActionAid Malawi has set up a crisis management team with its partners which, in close collaboration with the government of Malawi, is coordinating a public awareness campaign aimed at preventing contagion from Covid-19.
In addition, ActionAid has partnered with the Roger Federer Foundation to purchase food and sanitation supplies to support 14,000 families with young children, women and girls.
In 2011, ActionAid Malawi launched a ten-year campaign in partnership with the Roger Federer Foundation with the aim of improving children's education in Malawi. Today the collaboration with the Roger Federer Foundation goes on, whose contribution will allow ActionAid to continue school teaching projects by radio, safely, through the transmission of lessons on local and national broadcasters.
VIETNAM
In response to the call by the government of Vietnam to join forces to combat the spread of Coronavirus, ActionAid Vietnam has taken action with its partners to reach the most vulnerable sections of the population.
ActionAid immediately distributed sanitary material and food to families in economic and social difficulty, to people with disabilities, to women in danger of gender-based violence and discrimination, to people belonging to ethnic minorities. In total, 2,544 kits were distributed in collaboration with local authorities, including antibacterial masks, disinfectant gel, personal hygiene products, soap but also rice, pasta, oil, salt and milk.
ActionAid Vietnam has also produced information material on the measures to be taken to prevent the spread of coronavirus among the population, translating it into 5 local languages (Mong, Tay, Khmer, E De, Dao) to allow the greatest number of people to understand it. This material will be distributed to 100,000 people and in particular among those who have limited access to information and prevention measures.
Finally, to cope with the food shortage and the blocking of the transport of essential goods due to the pandemic, ActionAid is preparing to distribute seeds, fertilizers and agricultural tools to guarantee the families most affected by the pandemic to grow their own food and therefore be able to achieve food security as quickly as possible.
There is still a lot to do, there are many people at risk to reach to stop the virus.
Help us save the lives of as many people as possible. Thank you.