UNFPA youth ambassadors carry out community engagement on Covid 19/SGBV in Kaduna
AREWA AGENDA – Youth Community Immunity Ambassadors (YCIA), a brainchild of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Northern Nigeria has kick started community engagement on Covid 19, SGBV, HIV and other related issues. The advocacy which is being led by youths selected after undergoing two series of training on Covid 19 is aimed at taking the awareness on Covid 19, sexual and reproductive health issues to the local communities in order to boost health practices at the community level where the spread of the virus could have dire consequences. The outreach is also aimed at enhancing collective resolve to flatten the curve and fight against sexual and gender based violence which has risen during the pandemic.
The community engagement kicked off in Kaduna state on November 7 at Shanon community, Igabi bringing together traditional leaders, religious leaders, women groups, youth leaders, the head of the office UNFPA, Kaduna, UNICEF among others. The YCIA programme is being launched in Kaduna as a pilot state before taking the advocacy to other states in the North.
Read Also:
It was another remarkable day yesterday, November 13, when the YCIA Kaduna South held its community engagement programme at the Primary Health Care, Kakuri. In attendance at the programme were the Mai Ungwan Mal. Labaran who gave the opening remark; the Deputy Reproductive Health Director of the primary health care, Mrs Mary Madaki standing in for the director; the head of office, UNFPA Kaduna, Mrs. Mariama Darboe, the UNFPA program analyst and coordinator of the YCIA, Mrs. Bahijjatu Bello-Garko, youth ambassadors, community leaders and other participants.
The programme featured presentations on gender based violence, HIV, sexual reproductive care and hygeine and Covid 19 and drama presentation.
The presenters include Yucee Danjuma who spoke extensively on Gender Based Violence; types of GBV and how it affects the society at large, Covid 19; the prevention, the symptoms and safety measures. Bahijjatu Rabiu rendered the presentation in Hausa and proceeded to talk about HIV/AIDS.
Sani Abdullahi Idris added his voice by enlightening the audience on the importance of using different methods of signs in the place of hand shake. He went ahead to talk about how to address the elderly people when they offer a hand shake with reference to the positive impacts it would have on the community if every member had a healthy mind and body.
Other presenters include: Sanusi Adamu, Ashel Sunday, Ismail Lawal and Rakki Diko.
The head of office, UNFPA Kaduna, Mrs. Mariama Darboe talked about how government had played their at the national and state level to curb the spread of Covid 19, provide help and information to everyone on HIV/AIDS education, prevention and the various methods of spread.
She emphasized the importance of hand washing as the virus is no respecter of religion and belief. She commended the efforts of the YCIA and implored the youths to be ambassadors in advocating for safety and good health practices.
Agenda is a Publication of young writers and journalists from Northern Nigeria towards Peaceful Coexistence and National Development through positive narratives
, a brainchild of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Northern Nigeria has kick started community engagement on Covid 19, SGBV,){kind=link}