COVID-19 and Our Work

During this challenging time, we hope first and foremost that you and your families are safe. The relentless spread of the coronavirus and its impacts on the global economy are taking over news cycles. The novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, has led to cancellations of events and gatherings and millions of people practicing self-quarantine, social distancing, and shelter in place. This is an unprecedented global effort to stop the spread of a virus. 

Flame Tree Initiative is not exempt from these challenges. In order to do our part to flatten the curve, we will be postponing the planned April DELab. We are closely monitoring the state of affairs in Malawi and to date, there have been no confirmed cases of coronavirus. The country is taking efforts toward prevention, particularly by quarantining travelers for 14-days who have entered Malawi from a list of countries, including the United States. Due to this policy, Wayne and Kiki will be unable to travel to Malawi for the unforeseen future.

For the coming months, we will continue to communicate with our entrepreneurs digitally, utilizing technology available to us to offer mentoring and coaching from a safe distance. As the global economy is impacted, it is important for us to focus on the future. We believe that social entrepreneurship is the best way for Malawi to bring itself out of poverty. In the end, these entrepreneurs, like all of us, need to sustain their businesses, create jobs, and generate positive impacts. And that’s why we must continue offering our programs, even in times of uncertainty.