Covid19 National Youth Response Network Kenya
Location: Kenya
The Covid19 National Youth Response Network is a constellation of youth serving organizations, youth groups and youth champions from diverse sectors of human interest across Kenya that have come together to consolidate, synergize and supplement government and non-state actors efforts, interventions and measures to curb and control the spread of Covid19 virus
We have already established a multidisciplinary youth volunteer network comprising of over 7,000 young people organised in Ward, Constituency and County levels who have registered interest in plugging into our key focus areas that include but not limited to:
Medical support through students pursuing studies in the various medical fields including medicine, nursing and public health and those in other institutions of training to assist in health systems statistics, hygiene maintenance, medical waste management, surveillance in our villages, towns, slums, cities and the entire country and also offer the essential patient support in hospitals and quarantine facilities.
The Kenya Treasury Department in its draft 2020 Budget Policy Statement (BPS), noted that 10 million Kenyans live in slums {1 in every 5 Kenyans} which translates the number to 21.2% of the overall population. Further statistics according to the 2019 Census Report, project at least 20,095 Kenyans are homeless and sleep in the streets. Majority of these two demographics are young Kenyans. In realization of these stark statistics, the COVID-19 National Youth Response Network, wishes to map out and assist in the support of basic sanitation provision, the provision, coordination and distribution of care packages and food rations targeting those in the informal settlements and rural populations, street families and that are vulnerable to the negative economic effects of the pandemic for these less privileged members of our society who may end up inadvertently being active agents for spreading the virus.
About 7.7 Million Kenyans are active social media users representing 16% of the population. We therefore plan to have Strategic youth centered communication and Social Media sensitization campaigns targeting 2 Million young Kenyans on the importance of WASH, {Water, Sanitation and Hygiene} with strong focus on hygiene and social distancing. Consequently, we endeavor to pursue calls for discipline and observance of civic duty and extrapolate calls for the youth to stay at home as a critical aspect in curbing the spread of COVID-19. Conversely, sensitization among the youth to embrace and support curfew directives laid down by the government as a patriotic duty in the war against COVID-19 and to give an alternative narrative from the now negatively accepted perception.
WASH teaching, campaigning and sensitizing the public through webinars and online tutorials with special attention to sanitation and hygiene to promote universally accepted and recommended methods. In line with this, we are keen on assisting in the promotion and installation of soap and water points in informal settlements especially in the slum areas, market places, rural and densely populaated areas, estate entries and exits and open public spaces including parks and grounds. Through partnerships with government and non-state actors, we seek to coordinate the distribution of sanitizers and face masks to these populations for prevention and control and to consequently slowdown and flatten the transmission COVID-19 curve.
We purpose to trigger the young economically active persons above the ages of 18years who make up 29% of the population to be at the frontline in carrying out environmental clean-ups and also involve those who are younger to take upon themselves as a moral and patriotic duty for the love of the country so as to ensure a healthy and friendly environment for this and the next generation.
Liaise, coordinate and support the security installation efforts as well as those from County Administrations to manage the public transport made up of matatu saccos and bodaboda industry to adhere to regulations of social distancing provided. This is a highly interactive industry that is key in curbing the spread of the virus. Consequently, we plan to have our volunteers at bus termini, bus stops and bodaboda stages to sensitize the personnel and passengers and by extension the promotion of adherence to regulations as a civic duty to be embraced by all Kenyans.
Plan, organise and coordinate the training of youth involved in waste management specifically medical waste including but not limited to disposable masks, medical gloves and the PPEs in general.
Through public and social media campaigns combat the stigmatization of Covid19 victims that is gradually taking foot. On the flip side he also intend to offer counselling for families and friends of the affected and survivors.
Through the uniqueness of our network and ability to cover blind spots and ensure comprehensiveness, we have been tasked by the Ministry of ICT and Youth Affairs to generate a list of vulnerable youth across the 290 constituencies in the country that will be included in the cash transfer program to cushion them from the pangs of Covid19.
Support
The greatest challenge remains inadequate resources in terms of material and financial to ensure that the exuberance of our network is fully utilised in the pursuit of flattening the Covid19 curve. We aim at raising Kshs 100 million to comprehensively carry out our multifaceted programs.
Currently, we are having our volunteers chipping into their pockets to ensure that our programs run. In the long run we are in the process of creating a donation platform to fundraise for both material and financial resources.
Other needs: Access to information, Space for online meetings
See more:
Twitter: @Covid19_NYRNKE
Facebook: Covid19 National Youth Response Network Kenya
For more information contact covid19@unmgcy.org