A local charity run by Martha and David Holman of Abergavenny has received a grant from the Welsh Government to help combat the effects of the Covid-19 virus in Zimbabwe.

The WCVA Wales and Africa programme granted the charity £14,572 to enable them to engage in projects to fight the Coronavirus.

The money will help the Love Zimbabwe charity with the implementation of essential work.

One of the main issues that will benefit the users of Chinamhora Community centre in Zimbabwe is the borehole project. Because of continuing drought, there has been vast shortages of water at the community centre so part of this grant will fund a new borehole with a complete new solar system.

A 5,000 litre water tank will be installed and a public tap will be available for the local community. The charity aims to improve hygiene through increased access to clean water and hand washing facilities, community engagement and awareness raising of the pandemic and it’s symptoms.

They will also train 20 women to sew 2000 face masks. And 1,200 tippy taps will be placed in households throughout the village including public buildings and spaces.

Each of these installations will have buckets and soap. Tippy taps are operated by foot and the soap will be hanging on a string. A tippy tap works by using the foot to tap a lever to tip water out from a container. It means hands can be washed without touching the stand – therefore stopping the spread of dirt and bacteria.

A megaphone will be used to disseminate key messages and address mis-information in the local village.

Posters on hygiene and Covid -19 information will be displayed at Chinamhora Community centre library and each tippy tap will be supplied with an information leaflet.

Founder, Martha Musonza Holman said: ‘‘This funding has come at the right time.

‘‘In South Africa hospitals are prepared for a new wave of patients after reported coronavirus cases more than quadrupled in June.

‘‘The country’s hospitals are now bracing for an onslaught, setting up temporary wards and hoping advances in treatment will help the country’s health facilities from becoming overwhelmed.

‘‘Forecasts by health experts have warned that South Africa could see from 40,000 to more than 70,000 deaths from Covid-19 before the end of 2020.

‘‘Obviously, this is particularly worrying for us, as what happens in South Africa will almost certainly be transmitted to Zimbabwe in due course. This project will at least help to prepare people for the worst type of scenario thanks to the Welsh Government.’

AM for Monmouth, Nick Ramsay commented: ‘‘I was delighted to hear that Love Zimbabwe have received this grant under the Wales and Africa programme. It is richly deserved. Responding to Covid-19 is equally important in Africa as it is here and I’m grateful to David and Martha Holman for working hard to help deal with it in Zimbabwe.’’