Volunteer distributing sensitization materials.
The past year and months have been challenging for many. Numerous people are yet to come to terms with the drastic ways that our lives and regular activities have been affected by the covid-19 virus. Plans were terminated, businesses lost, dreams aborted, and for so many people, life started afresh. So many people have lost a lot without actually getting the virus.
“Sometimes I doubt there is any Covid-19, we just keep hearing about it, and we were asked to sit at home. I couldn’t work and my family suffered,” said Onyeka Chiamaka, a fish seller engaged during one of our outreaches.
Community outreaches and awareness campaigns have helped to gauge the knowledge and perception of community members on a particular subject. This is exactly what the Heineken Africa Foundation (HAF)-sponsored covid-19 response plan did.
The HAF Covid-19 response plan was deployed in six states in Nigeria (Bauchi, Benue, Ekiti, Enugu, Kaduna, and Oyo) over a period of six months from August 2020 to January 2021. The aim of the project was to engage decision-makers to accelerate access to water, promote messages about hygiene to the public, and provide handwashing facilities in public places. WaterAid and South Saharan Social Development Organization (SSDO) were implementing partners in Enugu state.
WASH, Enugu’s Challenge
Research shows that about 28 percent of the state’s population lacks access to water supply services. Only 38 percent of the state’s population has access to decent sanitation, and 40 percent of the population still defecates in the open. This points to the fact that the state needs improved access to safe drinking water and sanitation services. It is also necessary to enhance citizen participation in Water and Sanitation Hygiene (WASH) dialogue and decision making. Hence, the urgency for the WASH initiative.
The Approach
Six Local Government Areas (LGAs) identified with the most pressing WASH challenges in the state were selected. They were Nsukka, Isi Uzo, Enugu East, Enugu South, Uzo Uwani, and Ezeagu. After careful observation and analysis of the target community and its members, it was decided that the best medium to improve citizens knowledge and participation in WASH would be to air televised messages/jingles from traditional rulers and religious leaders. Including the Catholic Bishop of the Enugu Diocese.
Sound system for the jingle broadcast.
The Covid-19 and WASH messages were scheduled every week over three months. The activity aimed to drive home the message of proper WASH activities and the promotion of improved hygiene practices at home and in public places. Volunteers were also on the ground to sensitize people on the need to follow the Covid-19 guidelines. WASH coordinators monitored, supervised, and captured the activity. Visual aids were used to drive home the message.
The Revelation
In the sensitization course, the volunteers and the WASH coordinators took their time to engage the community members. Their message was well-received in some areas. In some other areas, this wasn’t the case.
“We just dey hear Covid everywhere, I no believe say anything like that dey. Na normal disease wey dem just find wey go soon comot” a palm oil seller told one of our volunteers.
This is just one example of the perception people had in different locations. Most people in the markets were skeptical of the existence or persistence of Covid-19. They believe the pandemic is over or was never a threat.
In another market, the traders were hostile as they had lost business opportunities during the government-imposed lockdown and other restrictions.
“Please I don’t want to hear anything about Covid-19. Leave my shop,” said an electronics shop owner who sounded like the mere mention of the virus evoked memories of losses.
People feared that more covid-19 messaging could result in another lockdown with negative economic implications.
Takeaway
Airing messages in the local languages went a long way to drive home the intended messages. Even better was the fact that the voiceovers were from respected members of their communities to whom they could relate. From subsequent visits and interactions with the traders, many affirmed that they are paying more attention to their hygiene.
“I now have my own hand wash station with soap and sanitizer in front of my shop. All customers must wash their hands before coming in,” said Felicia Nwobodo
Weeks after the initial outreach was conducted, volunteers went back to the LGAs and markets for follow-up visits and there was a remarkable improvement in handwashing practices.
For future efforts at public sensitization, it is important to de-emphasize Covid-19 as the key reason for basic hygiene and social distancing practices. The message would be more beneficial and better received if they focused on the prevention of infectious disease as the primary reason for imbibing safe hygiene. As already noted above, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic was a bitter pill for many.
