mothers2mothers (m2m) is today launching an emergency appeal to raise $6M to support our COVID-19 response. While there are encouraging signs that Europe and the U.S. may be nearing the peak of the pandemic, COVID-19’s impact is only beginning to be seen across the African continent. But the continent is not equipped to handle a large-scale COVID-19 outbreak—the World Health Organization estimates that sub-Saharan Africa already has a shortage of 4.2 million health workers. The more than one million women, children, and families we work with in nine sub-Saharan African countries need us more than ever. Many are vulnerable and marginalised, and at a disproportionate risk of contracting COVID-19, or developing complications if they do contract the virus.

This is why we are appealing to our supporters to help us scale up our response as rapidly as possible, while ensuring the safety of our frontline team, who are still reporting for duty as essential workers. With your help, we can make sure that Mentor Mothers are able to safely meet the ongoing health needs of the communities they serve, and provide life-saving COVID-19 information and support.

Over the last few weeks, we have been intensely focused on rapidly developing safe and efficient ways to continue delivering our vital health services at scale—while protecting our team and their clients from the risk of exposure to COVID-19 through direct contact. Our priorities have been threefold:

• Ensure our frontline staff can access testing and be supported if they require medical care;
• Purchase and distribute personal protective equipment (PPE) so Mentor Mothers are protected at the health centres where they are working as essential workers; and
• Roll out our “Virtual Mentor Mother” platform so that we can continue to provide vital information and support to our clients when it is no longer safe for Mentor Mothers to meet them in person.

Your support could help us take this even further:

• $20—could help keep our frontline staff safe with a basic kit of Personal Protective Equipment.

• $40—could help ensure we reach even more clients by equipping a Mentor Mother with one month’s worth of airtime and phone data.

• $80—could pay for the testing of one Mentor Mother if she presents COVID-19 symptoms.

• $200—could fund a digital tablet for one Mentor Mother to help her deliver her services virtually.

Join us today in reversing the tide of COVID-19 while protecting our frontline staff—donate here.