If you don鈥檛 have soap, how can you protect yourself against COVID-19?
If you walk miles for water, and have to choose between using it to cook for your family or washing your hands, which takes priority?
COVID-19 is believed to be under-reported in many parts of the world, including Ethiopia, Afghanistan and Somalia, and people don鈥檛 always know how serious coronavirus can be.
In many countries and contexts, people are often more concerned about the impact of poverty, conflict and the threat of violence on their families than they are about coronavirus.
Our communication campaigns aim to increase people鈥檚 understanding of coronavirus transmission, that both washing hands with soap and water and motivating people to maintain physical distancing are critical to stopping the virus鈥檚 spread. We are working to encourage understanding, inspire communities to take coronavirus seriously, and increase their uptake of preventative measures that will protect themselves and their families.
In our work with the Hygiene Behaviour Change Coalition, in Afghanistan, we have connected with the urban poor and Kuchi nomads. The latter are traditional traders in sheep, goats and camels; they are proudly Islamic, with a very private and strong sense of community. Our formative research indicated that male members of the tribe generally believe only God can stop the spread of COVID-19, and that most do not regularly use soap for handwashing. Music is very important for the men of the group, and radio their main source of information 鈥� but men have more access to information than women. At the time of our formative study most Kuchis we spoke with knew some of the symptoms of COVID-19 but believed it had not reached their community.
For the urban poor in Afghanistan, the pandemic is one of many competing issues affecting people鈥檚 lives 鈥� and during the formative study we found that generally most believed the worst of the pandemic was over. There was largely a lack of trust in the health system and widespread rumours against health professionals.
鈥�COVID-19 is one of many struggles that I must deal with,鈥� said one of our interviewees.
A radio drama for Kuchis
We produced 40 five-minute episodes of a 'fast fiction' radio drama with the Kuchi way of life 鈥� and struggles - in mind. Each episode broadcast three times a week on one national and 12 local radio stations, carefully selected to align with their regular migration routes, and also distributed via interactive voice response (IVR), and on Facebook.
Barbokai (Tornado), is a drama focused on a young woman鈥檚 life in a typical Kuchi community, where she is seen as something of a rebel. During the series she joins forces with the son of the sarkhail (tribal leader) to convince their community to take coronavirus seriously with key preventative measures.
Soap and water 鈥� communication is aid
Our public service announcements (PSAs) for radio, TV and social media have focused on supporting the urban poor in Afghanistan. One-minute PSAs for TV aired across 12 stations, while the five radio versions played across 33 radio stations in three local languages.
Our recent survey has shown that approximately 7.6 million adults have listened to or watched at least one of the PSAs or drama episodes (46% of the Afghanistan鈥檚 adult population).
In Somalia, our media campaign 鈥楬ello hope, bye bye COVID鈥� is challenging people鈥檚 attitudes and beliefs around the transmission of coronavirus, while heightening awareness around prevention.
Introducing 鈥楥aptain Suleiman鈥�
Our 60-second public service announcements (PSAs) are told by Captain Suleiman 鈥� a radio DJ character who reads out people鈥檚 messages and gives a reply - for example,
鈥淪orry sorry sorry! I got late today! What could I do? My mother's sister's son's wife called just as I was leaving home!
SHE SAYS... (now Captain Suleiman mimics her) Captain Suleiman... my husband keeps disappearing every now and then! He meets someone, he disappears for a while! I offer him food, he disappears for a while before eating it! Our child comes running to him, he disappears again! What to do?鈥�
鈥淵ou know what I, Captain Suleiman, said to her... smart fellow your husband! I always knew he was! My advice... follow him!
He鈥檚 disappearing to do something VERY important!! He knows that to keep coronavirus away, handwashing often, with soap and water, is a must! Before you touch anything.. after you touch anything!
And no excuses! Because washing with soap and even little water works wonders!鈥�
We produced 10 radio PSAs that were broadcast more than 1,000 times per month across 19 stations across Somalia. Eight video PSAs were also broadcast on four TV stations and on 大象传媒 Media Action Somalia and CARE Somalia鈥檚 social media channels.
Our recent survey has shown that approximately 3.9 million adults either watched or listened to at least one of the PSAs (46% of the Somali adult population).
Phase 2
In a second phase of our work with the Hygiene Behaviour Change Coalition, we are continuing our work in Somalia and expanding it to Ethiopia, to reach new groups with information about proper handwashing, safe disposal of facemasks and other PPE, and other ways to protect themselves from COVID-19 and other illnesses.
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大象传媒 on COVID-19 prevention in Afghanistan, Somalia and Ethiopia is funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Unilever as part of the Hygiene Behaviour Change Coalition.
