Creating our first set of Eco-Products to support communities through COVID-19
Greetings from Masaka! From wherever you are in the world, we hope you're keeping safe during this challenging time.
At Eco Brixs HQ, it's been a busy but exciting month for us, as we've been able to start producing our very first Eco-Products from discarded plastic waste: visors for frontline hospital workers!
Plus, we continue our relief efforts to support the community during the lockdown, receive some special recognition on Twitter, and the entire Eco Brixs team takes on a sporting challenge!
MANUFACTURING PLASTIC VISORS
In all our respective countries, we've heard of the pressing need for equipment to protect frontline hospital workers, who are putting themselves at risk every day in efforts to save the sick from coronavirus.
This is especially true in an underdeveloped health care system such as one in Uganda. Therefore, in true Eco Brixs style, we've been looking at ways plastic waste can be used to protect people from COVID-19.
And we're pleased to say, the machines we ordered last month, have now arrived and are in operation! We're now able use discarded waste to create plastic visors, which will protect frontline workers at Masaka Referral Hospital, as modelled by Emma, from our team, above.
In short, the new machine process allows us to create the visor in two parts - we break the bottle caps down to make the frame and then use the bottle itself to make the 'screen' for the product.
Below, Andy and Regina, who have been hard as work making visors all week, explain the process...
We're excited to reach a new chapter in our development and begin to make Eco-Products from plastic waste, and even more excited at the prospect of them being used to protect hospital staff who are working to save lives!
To read more on a step-by-step breakdown of how the masks are made, you can view our latest blog here.
RECOGNITION OF OUR NEW ECO-PRODUCT ON TWITTER
We were thrilled this week to spot a shoutout on Twitter from Emma Wade-Smith who is Trade Commissioner for Africa at the UK Government's Department of International Trade.
She kindly shared an update on our latest work to make visors from recycled plastic, mentioned above. As we continue to develop Eco Brixs, and now make Eco-Products, it so helpful to have our message shared by our supporters.
Thank you for the kind words Emma! :)
AN UPDATE ON OUR RELIEF EFFORTS IN MASAKA
A huge thank you to everyone who has donated to our campaign to support Masaka through COVID-19, via the hospital and food programme, which has helped us raise over£27,400!
As the Ugandan government has recently announced another 3 weeks of strict lockdown, the food programme, in particular, becomes all the more vital in helping the vulnerable community keep food on the table, who can't go to work and have no welfare support.
To date, working alongside our friends at the Uganda Marathon, we have completed 3 weeks of food distributions to the community, which has:
- Fed over 2000 households -
- Delivered over 19,000kg of food!! -
- Supported 192 pregnant women and young mothers -
You can read more about the recent food distribution here.
We'll continue to distribute food over the coming weeks, which has been made possible by your generosity. If you're yet to donate and would like to help maintain the food programme, you can donate here - 100% of you donation will go to supporting the community.
...AND FINALLY...
Talking of the Uganda Marathon, our entire team, based both in Uganda and the UK, is participating in the organisation's virtual run this Saturday, all in support of the Masaka relief effort!
Understandably, the annual community event scheduled for tomorrow wasn't able to take place this year. So instead, participants from all around the world will be coming together virtual and running in their hometowns, in support of Masaka!
As you can see, the whole Eco Brixs team is raring to go! :)
We'd love for you to join us if you can - you can register for the event here.
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