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Unique youth-led COVID-19 response programme in Uganda

Países
Uganda
Fuentes
Cordaid
Fecha de publicación
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To prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Uganda, Cordaid partners with the SRHR Alliance Uganda for a unique youth-led COVID-19 response programme. The project aims to complement the efforts of the Ugandan Ministry of Health to curb the pandemic, especially in areas with large refugee populations.

Cordaid provided raincoats with COVID-19 prevention guidelines for staff in Ugandan refugee settlements.

SRHR is short for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and the SRHR Alliance reaches many young people in Uganda with their education and sensibilization programmes to improve their health and give them better future perspectives.

Awareness-raising

Through the instruments these programmes provide, Cordaid and the SRHR Alliance Uganda raise awareness on COVID-19 through national and local media platforms and provide sanitisers and basic facilities for water, hygiene and sanitation.

In the large refugee settlements in the north of the country and in the eastern part of Uganda, the organisations added a few new and effective incentives to involve the youth in the awareness-raising campaign. They handed out raincoats with clear guidelines on COVID-19 prevention to village health workers, business coaches and water and hygiene staff, all consisting of young people as well.

Youth ambassadors

Also, the staff in the settlement organise quizzes for the youth in which the participants can win a wrist band, which makes them a Youth Ambassador for the COVID-19 prevention response. In that role, they will have to set a good example to their peers.

“The way we manage to involve youth in the programme is truly unique”, says Petra van Haren, Country Director for Cordaid in Uganda. “Through these quizzes, we provide vital information about virus prevention and by giving them the role of ambassadors we create a much bigger sense of involvement.”