The Cotton Made in Africa (CmiA) initiative is working with partner cotton companies and the Aid by Trade Foundation (ABTF) to provide basic hygiene measures to limit the spread of coronavirus in Sub-Saharan Africa.

They are providing soap, hand disinfectant and 'tippy-tap' hand-washing water canisters in villages of eight countries involved in the Cotton Made in Africa initiative.

The hygiene equipment, along with information in the form of texts and pictograms explaining the risks of infection, are being made available to people at central locations in the villages.

A CmiA spokesperson said: "It's a simple but important support to enable one of the basic measures to combat the COVID-19 virus by reaching out to people who often have no or no regular access to soap and water."

The practical implementation of the hygiene measures is organised by the cotton companies, while ABTF initiated the action and provided the funding.

CmiA’s mission is to promote decent work for cotton farmers and cotton ginnery workers in Sub-Saharan Africa, to protect the environment and to create transparency in the textile supply chain.

It is run by ABTF which aims to help people to help themselves through trade, thereby promoting environmental protection and securing the livelihoods of future generations.

Source: EcoTextile News