Coronavirus: EU to donate 10,000 reusable facemasks to NGOs

The European Union Delegation to Ghana, in collaboration with the Fashion Connect Africa, will donate 10,000 reusable facemasks to four non-governmental organizations on Friday, February 5, 2021.

The donation is towards the fight against COVID-19.

The organisations - Act for Change, Ink Ghana, Galaxy Club Tema and Plastics Punch, are to deliver the facemasks to local communities.

The gesture will be done jointly with a communication and awareness campaign, conducted by the NGOs, which follows Ghana’s recommendations on how to use and wash reusable masks.

The reusable EU Ghana facemasks are produced in Ghana and follow the recommendations of the Ghana Standards Authority.

A statement from the Union copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra, said the donation was part of the several actions by the EU to assist Ghana in the fight against COVID-19.

"This donation from the EU is associated with the One Million Facemask Initiative of Fashion Connect Africa and Victoria Michaels which intends to provide 1 Million Masks for vulnerable communities.

"The initiative takes particular relevance now as COVID-19 numbers are increasing in Ghana and there is a continued need to spread awareness on the importance of using a facemask", it said.

Reusable masks, the statement said provided a sustainable and environmentally friendly way to protect the population against COVID-19.

It said every day, billions of used facemasks were discarded in many public places without being recycled, causing litter problems on land and at sea, stating that with reusable masks, the world could protect both people and the planet.

The statement said the Union would continue to work closely with implementing partners and beneficiaries of European funds, to find solutions to support the most vulnerable communities, all over Ghana.

It announced that the EU would soon launch a new project titled “For a Greener and Healthier Environment in Schools”.

The project will be implemented in Accra, providing handwashing stations, recyclable and composting bins to schools, and combined with awareness campaigns and an art competition.