Our Network acts

Our Network of grass roots member associations around the world have been working tirelessly throughout this crisis. Many of their stories and concrete actions are going unnoticed so we have created this opportunity to shine a light on their critical work against the odds. Through their various initiatives, whether it be raising funds or sewing masks and protective clothing, they have created pillars of solidarity and support in their communities, reaching out to those most in need.

See also our MMM Voices #Covid-19 video interviews

Africa

En Avant Les Enfants (EALE), Belgium – active in Goma, RDC

A Belgian association, EALE supports and accompanies more than 5,000 mothers and children in Goma – DRC, the first victims of 25 years of civil war, abandoned and deprived of everything. Their aim to help them rebuild a dignified, autonomous and responsible life for themselves.

• Anticipating the lockdown, the managers of the 8 Development Projects have widely educated their people in the protection against COVID-19: social distancing, hand washing, mask wearing, temperature taking. More specifically, Kisany-Agape produces masks on a large scale (more than 10, 000 to date). HAD-Inuka intensively produces artemisia plants in order to strengthen immune capacities, in addition to the manufacture of pedal-operated artisanal sinks. PJB-FCG widely sensitizes the population of Goma to barrier gestures. Stimuli has profoundly adapted the working hours of its nursery workers (14-day rotation). As a safety measure, all the Projects prohibit the entry of external visitors to their sites.
• Furthermore, the end of the informal economy – due to the lockdown – still deprives the most vulnerable of their very modest income: the extremely precarious socio-economic environment has thus been aggravated by a food crisis; it is all the more acute as the price of food is going through unprecedented inflation. In this context, EALE has again allocated an emergency food budget to its Projects.

Live with happiness, Rwanda

• Zirikana – From one continent to another… Rwandan women reach out in solidarity offering support and help to hungry and vulnerable families, particularly single mothers and their children, who have been restricted to their homes due to the crisis. – Read more 

Mamas for Africa, Belgium – active in DRC

• The needs for assistance in addressing poverty, sexual abuse, and health issues are the same as ever for the women in East Congo. The coronavirus just makes functioning harder. Mamas for Africa soldiers on, never once abandoning these women or their own staff… – Read More

Mothers and Midwives Support, Belgium – active in DRC

• “Prevention will be the best way of eradicating the virus”. That’s according to Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr Denis Mukwege who is in charge of the Response Committee to the pandemic in DRC. His statement is a call to action mobilizing the solidarity work of all the women supported by MMS who are preparing to fight back… –  Read More

mothers2mothers (m2m), South Africa

• Covid-19 is a ticking bomb for the African continent… M2M is striving to turn the tide of the pandemic thanks to its army of mentor mothers tirelessly meeting the health needs of more than one million women, children and families in sub-Saharan Africa. From one pandemic to another, their expertise is needed more than ever.  – Read More

Memisa, Belgium – active in DRC

• From one pandemic to another… Parts of Africa face a potentially explosive humanitarian and health crisis. Against this backdrop, Memisa continues fighting for quality health care for all. Raising awareness, protecting and preventing, training, providing equipment and propping up fragile health systems, our grass roots member is highlighting that if the virus has no borders, neither has solidarity.  – Read More

Asia

Awaj, Bangladesh

• AWAJ foundation, a grassroots labour rights NGO with 600’000 workers – mainly women – in the garment sector across Bangladesh, is helping  some of the most vulnerable women face emergencies and basic needs through this health and economic crisis. – Read More

Friendship, Bangladesh

• Having to weigh deaths due to the pandemic against those due to starvation, is a huge challenge for Bangladesh NGO Friendship. They are facing and addressing multiple health and educational issues to help hundreds of thousands of people survive across the country. But beyond the immediate, it is the lessons that must be learned and investments that must be made now, for the future. – Read More

Europe

Accion Familiar, Spain

• Accion Familiar seeks to address the needs of families through educational support, for example:
  – “Riddles for little ones”: Read more
  – “We will conquer the corona virus!” : organisation of a drawing competition for children under 12 in various parts of Madrid with the financial help of a bank – Read more
  – Stories to help children under 6: Read more
• Online or phone Psychological help – Read more
• Accion Familiar is also part of a “volunteer tracker” initiative, collecting all the emerging initiatives of citizens

Afammer, Spain

• Afammer delegations through Spain are sewing hundreds of masks to be distributed in hospitals and nursing homes. Some delegations are even making protective garments for nursing homes. Read more
• Stay at home but don’t stay alone… Afammer offers support and contacts thanks to its social networks and mail addresses that people can use for exchanges and help.Read more