MLW’s Kuteteza Project recently equipped over 500 households in Mangochi, Chikwawa and Blantyre Rural with hand washing facilities, personal protective equipment, and knowledge of COVID-19.  

Speaking at a stakeholders’ engagement meeting, the project’s Principal Investigator Dr Donnie Mategula said Kuteteza Project aims at contributing to the Malawi National Response to COVID-19.

“This project focuses on using a community-led approach to engage rural communities to manage their own COVID risks; bearing in mind the greater risk of severe COVID-19 disease and death in the elderly who are over 60 years old, and challenges in access to hospital, particularly for those living in rural areas.

“There is need to include the concept of ‘Kuteteza’ (shielding the vulnerable) in the National Response Plan on COVID-19 to have the principles of the project applied widely in Malawi thereby shielding those at a higher risk,” said Mategula.

During the site visit, the Ministry of the Elderly and Disability donated food and assorted basic hygiene items to the elderly participants of the Kuteteza Project. 

Receiving the donation, Group Village Head Chisambanuka expressed gratitude to MLW for shielding the elderly in the area from COVID-19.

The project, being implemented in collaboration with the College of Medicine- COM and the Society of Medical Doctors of Malawi – SMD, aims at shielding the elderly that are 60 years and above in rural communities from COVID-19 by limiting contact and minimizing infection risk. The project which started in April 2020 is expected to phase out in May 2021.