COVID-19 Response Initiative 

Following the COVID 19 pandemic, the government of Tanzania suspended schools for three months.  On 29^th of June 2020 schools were reopened but with strict guidelines on how to protect the kids while at schools.  Generally, each child was supposed to wear face masks while at school especially when in classrooms or close to each other. Besides, each school was supposed to ensure availability of sufficient handwashing facilities, soap and running water.  Given the fact that COVID-19 pandemic is an emergency, many disability inclusive schools do not have budget to procure and install equipment and facilities that can protect pupils and teachers against COVID 19. Children with special educational needs and disabilities studying in these schools are the most vulnerable group to contract and spread the corona virus; firstly because they are studying in overcrowded schools without appropriate protective equipment and materials such as handwashing facilities and sanitation materials. Secondly, for a long time these schools lack child-friendly hygiene and sanitation facilities and so students lack the habit of washing hands as required in the era of COVID 19.

In response to the challenges faced by the disability inclusive schools, FAE started COVID-19 Response Initiative as a way to protect children in these schools. We design, manufacture and install disability and child-friendly touchless handwashing water and soap dispensing stations as well as other materials such as liquid soap and face masks. Because our equipment and materials are disability and child-friendly, children are motivated to frequently wash their hands, and in doing so they protect themselves, their fellow students, teachers and families against COVID 19.

In collaboration with Gulf for Good, FAE has started implementing this initiative at the Enjoro Primary School. FAE has supplied 7 handwashing water dispensing stations to protect 824 pupils and their teachers from COVID-19. It is hoped that the initiative will help to inculcate among the pupils best sanitation and hygiene practices especially of washing hands before eating, after eating and after using toilet.  We are working in ten disability inclusive schools and we want to ensure that kids in these schools are adequately protected. 

How many people do we want to impact over the next three months and how will we support them?

Over the next three months, we want to reach two disability inclusive schools and directly impact 1091 children including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and 50 families of the children with SEND. We shall support our target group with the following:- First, provision of 7  touchless handwashing water dispensing stations in each school;  second, provision of 2 pieces of clothes face masks for each child covering 1091; third, provision of 500 liters of handwashing liquid soap to each school; fourth, provision  of one handwashing water dispensing bucket and 10 liters of handwashing liquid soap and one radio to each of the 50 families of the children with SEND; and fifth, provision of practical COVID-19 information and knowledge to the 50 families and 1091 children through 2 young volunteer teachers from each school. We need your support for us to reach more children in the disability inclusive schools. A five liters of handwashing liquid soap cost US$ 5. You can quickly and safely donate here.

Would you like to be involved in the fight against COVID 19? Learn more on what you can do here or contact us now to discuss how you can be involved in this initiative!