When the COVID-19 Action Fund for Africa (CAF-Africa) released its year one report in July 2021 partners believed the effort was winding down. But with new variants and limited vaccine access in sub-Saharan Africa the need for continued access to personal protective equipment (PPE) remained critical. Therefore, when funders approached us to help provide PPE to community health workers (CHWs) we acted immediately. This new funding allowed CAF-Africa to procure and distribute 39.6 million pieces of PPE (including surgical and non-surgical masks and pairs of gloves).
With over $3 million in new funding from the Trafigura Foundation, IZUMI Foundation, and Crown Family Philanthropies, CAF-Africa is sending PPE to 10 African countries (Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Rwanda, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe) providing additional protection to over 300,000 CHWs. In addition, FIGS provided 100,000 high-quality reusable cloth masks for community distribution by the DRC Ministry of Health. Delivery of all supplies with this new round of funding is expected to reach the last mile by the end of March 2022.
