Pioneering charity Hay2Timbuktu has received a grant from the Welsh Government’s Wales for Africa Scheme, to train residents of Timbuktu to take action against Covid-19.
The grant, administered by Wales Council for Voluntary Action, allowed the Hay-on-Wye based charity to organise the practical training for women and girls in the Mali city, which is the capital of the Tombouctou Region.
The grant ensures that women and girls can now recognise Covid-19 and to take action in family homes, schools, clinics and the community to help prevent the spread of the virus.
44 women and girls were trained by health professionals across four areas of Timbuktu and tasked with spreading the information to other women.
Radio messages encouraging girls to return to school after a period of disruption to their education and encouraging girls and women to re-engage with health clinics has proved very successful with local clinics reporting an increase of 20% in use since the radio broadcasts.
Four health clinics and 48 individual families have been helped by the grant, receiving washing facilities in the form of water containers, soap, disinfectant and protective equipment.
Hay-on-Wye has been twinned with Timbuktu for more than 10 years and continues to develop links with schools and health clinics and building relationships with the isolated Malian city.
For more information on the charity’s work please visit [email protected]