Bikini carwash in Lilongwe

A first in Malawi. Bikini-clad ladies are to wash cars for a fee outside Taytaz Club in Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe on Saturday

According to iCampaign; organisers of the Bikini Car wash, this is a fundraising initiative to aid the Bwaila Hospital Maternity Wing.

“We will host the all-day event in fundraising for Bwaila Maternity Wing after noting several challenges such as lack of blankets, mattresses, thermometers, weighing scales. We wanted to do this on Mother’s Day, but there were several other equally important activities,” said iCampaign’s coordinator Patricia Likongwe in an interview.

But why strip semi-naked for charity?

“It is summer time when people have fun. So, we are going to wash the cars at a fee while having fun at the same time. About 15 members of the organisation will take part in the event where we are targeting to raise over one million kwacha.

All this money will go towards purchasing some of the resources the maternity wing needs. But we are still soliciting money for the cause,” said Likongwe.

“Even some people have questions as regards the venue. Taytaz is a decent bar with some huts for family outings. It is a quiet and spacious space which is normally frequented by fun lovers,” she said.

Those who will come out for the cause will enjoy summer jams as well as tasty treats such as local chicken, mang’ina (cooked animal skin, especially of a cow), mfutso (cooked, dried vegetables), thobwa (gruel) and the famous small silver fish commonly called bonya.

iCampaign is a charity organisation which started this year. Its motivation is promotion of safe motherhood activities.

“This will be our first activity and we are planning to do so many more. Soon, we will be on an awareness of cervical and breast cancer. Our motivation currently is safe motherhood, but we will broaden the scope as we go along,” said Likongwe.