The COVID-19 Africa Action Network for Nurses and Nurse-Midwives (AAN) to locally produce evidence based reusable face masks, was launched in March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the acute shortage of personal protective equipment in general, and respiratory protection, in particular in countries throughout the African Continent. CWI was instrumental in launching AAN and continues to assist the organisation with donor outreach, project management and technical expertise.