Africa is facing the Covid-19 pandemic. And young people have not been left out in the response strategy. This is why Oxfam and Africtivistes seek to promote a hundred initiatives led by young people on the continent and which have a strong impact in managing the effects of the health crisis.
10 countries, 18 focal points and 100 initiatives to be selected. These are the key figures of the youth mapping project launched by Oxfam and Africtivistes. The Africtivistes focal points play an important role in the popularization of this project at the level of their respective countries. Some of them share their feelings about the project here and also share experiences that have fascinated them.
Mauritania: Aliya Abbas, freelance journalist and trainer in mobile journalism
“I am delighted that Mauritania is one of the 10 target countries in the mapping of youth initiatives in Africa to fight against the impact of Covid-19. Two initiatives particularly marked me in my country. The first is a young Mauritanian who has set up a website that allows you to follow the evolution of Covid-19 on Mauritanian territory. The second initiative is an association called AFI which has trained women in soap making. And at the end of the training, more than 5,000 soaps were distributed in certain outlying districts of the country. ”
Senegal: Mouhamed Ndoye
“The youth of my country have been very involved in the fight against Covid-19, particularly in awareness-raising and communication. Young people have done a lot to fight against bad information and fake news. They have also invested in social actions by providing vulnerable families with health kits and food”. From a technological point of view, he maintains that young Senegalese have created tools, devices to fight against Covid-19 such as a gel dispenser, mobile applications and websites to disclose all information concerning the sickness.
Benin: Awanabi Idrissou, journalist and blogger
“Benin has not been left out during this period of health crisis. Beninese youth activists made a name for themselves during Covid-19 with initiatives presenting innovative solutions to counter Covid-19. Not to mention awareness raising and solidarity actions such as the distribution of masks in markets, schools, etc. This latest initiative has been called A citizen, a mask. I call on young people, wherever they may be, to keep taking action. "
Niger: Tamimoudari Noma
“The initiatives in my country boil down to prevention, awareness and adaptation of hand washing methods to their realities and also through more advanced means such as a disinfection portal for example. Mapping is a good initiative and we hope it will spread to or into other activities."
Nigeria: Muazu Alhaji Modu, Founder and CEO of Spotlight for Transparency and Accountability Initiative
“During the course of mapping youth initiative on COVID-19 in Nigeria, I came in contact with a lot of inspiring, amazing and incredible youth initiatives in Nigeria. Initiative such as Advocacy for human value foundation that uses conventional media to sensitize citizens to increase COVID-19 preparedness in IDP camps in Borno state. initiative like We Can Africa's initiative that use to train rural communities on how to locally produced hand sanitizers for their local consumption in Kano state, initiative like Titus Yakubu Tukurah's an individual who developed a database for sexual and gender based violence during COVID-19 lockdown, an identical initiatives by Spotlight for Transparency and Accountability Initiative and Intellectual development initiatives that uses social media and digital technology to counter fake news and misinformation on the COVID-19 pandemic and a lot of inspiring, incredible and amazing initiatives by young people.”
Professor Mamadou Dramé, head of the Africtivistes scientific pole
“The first trends that have emerged after the census of the 100 initiatives suggest that there are many more individual initiatives than collective ones. And that each individual tries to bring his experience, his expertise to bring a solution to the populations. There was a lot of monitoring, information and awareness. And research has shown that young people have developed their creativity through the creation of a number of technological instruments to support health workers and populations in general. There is also the question of funding which is often provided by young people but also thanks to the support of certain patrons. Synergies between young people and local, customary and sometimes even local political authorities are also noted. And all this remains within the framework of the fight against Codi-19. I call on each other to stay connected and to follow the progress of the project and the trends that have emerged”