To all MOAS Donors and Supporters,
In this time of uncertainty we hope you and your families are well. The effects of COVID-19 are widespread and we wanted to give you an update on the impact the pandemic is having on MOAS’ teams and operations thus far.
Our head office team in Malta and remote administrative workers throughout Europe are all currently working from home, following government mandated quarantines and doing their part to self-isolate and slow the spread of COVID-19 in Europe. We will continue to work at full operational capacity and are available through [email protected] and our socials platforms should you have any questions or need any assistance.
In the field, preparations are different as self-isolation and tele-working are not possibilities for those on the front line of global crises. Even basic advice around hand-washing and sanitizing become challenging in the context of refugee camps and ongoing conflicts. That said, we have set up hand-washing stations at all our training sites in Bangladesh and at our workshops and offices. We’re providing training on handwashing, general hygiene precautions and on avoiding person-to-person greetings, which can be a challenge depending on cultural norms.
Our individual activities in Bangladesh and Yemen, as well as our advocacy campaign for Safe and Legal Routes, are currently still ongoing, with amendments made to ensure the safety of participants. These operations are under constant review and changes are being made daily to ensure that we abide by national and international guidelines and act responsibly in accordance with ever-changing environments.
We are also holding international strategy meetings to identify ways in which MOAS may step in to help our sectors should the crisis spread in our geographical areas of operation in coming weeks. We will keep you all abreast of our operational and strategic updates as and when they arise.
In the meantime we wish you all the best and thank you for your ongoing support during this time.
Global solidarity is needed now more than ever.
Yours with best wishes,
Regina Catrambone
MOAS Co-founder and Director.