Chad’s ‘off-the-grid’ prevention of coronavirus
Sharing the physical distancing and hygiene messages via community-based communication
As COVID-19 spreads to the farthest corners of the world, the technological and digital divides further complicate prevention. Yet, people deep in Chad’s Sahel heartland like those in New York city need to adopt the measures meant to reduce the spread of the disease. In these instances, grassroots and low-tech solutions are the best methods to communicate around behavior change — less personal contact and promote proper hygiene — to reach those that live ‘off-the-grid’.
Chad is a vast, yet scarcely populated country in north-central Africa. Close to 77 percent of its people live in rural areas, with limited or inexistent access to fixed, mobile or internet technologies. Radio is the most popular broadcast media; however, frequencies do not cover the whole territory and many families do not have a radio-set.
To raise awareness and protect Chadians from COVID-19, the Government of Chad and the United Nations rely on the traditional custodians of information: journalists in cities and community workers and local ‘troubadours’ in the countryside.
“They are the most reliable people to deliver information by word-of-mouth,” says Violet Kakyomya, the UN’s Resident Coordinator in Chad . “It is essential to work with them in order to avoid miscomprehension that can quickly translate into rumors, misinformation and suspicion of health interventions,” she adds.
To improve peer-to-peer communication -both in urban and rural settings- the United Nations has also equipped 1,040 community workers across eight provinces to promote healthy habits and clarify any doubts on COVID-19. These agents are chosen by the communities themselves and operate under the supervision of the Ministry of Health.
“Many people say that coronavirus cannot survive in the heat of Chad, so I tell them that this is not true …and that there are already cases in our country,” says Amina Gomnalta, a social worker in the central district in N’Djamena, the capital city. “I explain that coronavirus is a global pandemic and that here, at this stage, the most important thing is to protect ourselves and to protect others,” Gomnalta adds.
More than 200,000 awareness posters have been placed in public buildings, markets, schools, health centers and project sites in 16 provinces. They encourage people to regularly wash their hands, to greet each other from a distance and to avoid touching their faces.
“I have nailed the posters at the door, in the hand washing station and in the waiting room of the health center,” says Gomnalta. “Every morning I ask people to respect safety measures, while at the health center but also at home,”she adds.
In addition, 80 troubadours are now on the move in eight provinces to raise awareness on COVID-19 in isolated areas. These town criers traditionally move with donkeys, horses or camels from community to community sharing news in local languages.
Meanwhile, in N’Djamena, more than 60 journalists from state-owned, private and community media have been trained since the onset of the health emergency on responsible reporting, use of reliable sources, verification of facts and identification of fake news. In urban settings, most people watch TV and listen to the radio, therefore journalists are key informants and opinion makers.
The United Nations also works to prevent COVID-19 among displaced and crisis-affected populations. Chad hosts the largest refugee population in the Sahel: close to half a million people that have fled violence in neighboring Sudan, Nigeria and Central African Republic. Additionally, there are more than 200,000 internally displaced people around Lake Chad and over 83,000 returnees in the country.
The United Nations supports the Government’s awareness efforts and the National Response Plan to address the socio-economic impact of COVID-19. WFP will provide emergency food assistance for the most vulnerable Chadians in both rural and urban settings.
