Improved water and sanitation will help Africa combat COVID-19

The Heineken Africa Foundation is donating over £1 million to WaterAid, to support water and sanitation projects across Africa.The work will focus on providing both short and long-term solutions. Handwashing facilities will be installed in busy public spaces, including schools ad health centres. Moreover, hygiene campaigns will be rolled out to target the most vulnerable communities. The aim is to provide the much-needed support to combat the virus, especially given that handwashing is a key preventative measure in the fight against coronavirus.In Nigeria, 1,000 handwashing facilities will be installed to ensure people can maintain good hygiene to reduce transmissions. On the other hand, in Rwanda, soap and hand sanitiser will be distributed, including 320 handwashing facilities being set up in healthcare settings in Mozambique.Promoting hygiene is vital to ensure people wash their hands to reduce the risk of contracting the virus. As a result, hygiene messaged will be broadcasted in different languages in Mozambique. The partnership between the Heineken Africa Foundation and WaterAid will last between six and seven months -depending on the region-.