Mozambique is one of the poorest countries in Africa, which is in a deep crisis: hurricanes directed a year ago and the Crédit Suisse and a past government plunged Mozambique into a financial crisis. Now the coronavirus threatens to make matters worse. This is why we are active on the ground with the young people from our projects and show the people how they can protect themselves. This is how young people fight the corona virus in Mozambique.
In rural Mozambique, society often functions through the local village leaders. Whenever we want to reach the wider population, we try to involve these key people. In our work against gender-based violence, we have thus already achieved success in many places. Now we use these contacts to spread information about the corona virus in the villages.
Informing young people
In other circumstances, the local partners would debate the issue at a large village meeting. That would be too risky now. Instead, the young people from different youth groups of our partner organisations have come together. They provide people with life-saving information in front of their huts and from a proper distance.
- Wash your hands regularly and for at least 20 seconds. A bucket of soap and water should always be available.
- No hugs, no handshakes or kisses.
- Keep other people at a distance if possible.
- If possible stay at home and only go out when necessary.
- If the symptoms of Covid-19 are known, patients should visit the nearest health centre.
In remote areas, people have to protect themselves with what they have. Water is a scarce commodity, because it has to be fetched from wells far away. The young people from our projects show the people their simple constructions, which enable economical and hygienic hand washing. Like us, many of them also have to learn how to wash their hands from knuckles, palms and between their fingers.
Fast protection is important
Soap is too expensive for the people in the countryside - the scarce commodity disinfectant anyway. Therefore, people in the poorer regions have to make do with ashes, which disinfects to a certain degree. This is also knowledge that the young people teach. That's why such tricks are very important to ensure quick protection.
In our project area around Chimoio there is a threat of an outbreak of the disease across the border. The town is about one and a half hours away from the Zimbabwean neighbouring town Mutare. Although the many commuters and goods transports have been banned, there are virtually no controls.
For example, the 21 reported cases in Mozambique are also likely to have been transmitted via border traffic, as South Africa and Zimbabwe were already affected by the virus. None of the countries has the resources for large-scale testing. The number of unreported cases is probably already well above the official figures.
The figures for Zimbabwe in particular are not reliable because the health system there is in an even more desolate state. "The uncertainty in Mozambique is great because of the unclear situation in Zimbabwe. Many fear that the virus is much more widespread there than is officially known and that it is also spreading in the region around Chimoio due to the relatively easy borders to cross. ", reports Jonas Wagner-Mörsdorf, the programme coordinator for Mozambique.
Many know too little
In Mozambique, Zimbabwean travellers who did not comply with the hygiene regulations and were suspected of being infected have already been apprehended. However, it is wrong to accuse anyone of malice, because even in Mozambique many people do not know how to protect themselves and others. "Some did not even know that there was a pandemic," writes Silveque Da Luvina Manuel, coordinator of our partner organization CAJ.
This is why terre des hommes schweiz and its partners support the young people fighting the corona virus in Mozambique. Together we disseminate vital information and distribute soaps where necessary and possible. The young people show how to wash their hands in a water-saving and hygienic way to protect themselves from the corona virus. Because anyone who learns about the virus must abide by the safety rules, writes Silveque Da Luvina Manuel.
Read more articles about Covid-19 in the global south here. Help us to fight the Coronavirus We are grateful for every donation!
