COVID-19 Update from Goma, DRC
A local group of young women and girls, M’shujarts, has been raising awareness about COVID-19 and supporting eachother. M’shujarts is about 20 in number, all who participated in CC programs in the past and have since formed their own girls art collective that promotes gender equality through public art in Goma, DRC.
Wivine, wearing one of the cloth masks they learned how to sew, Goma, DRC, April, 2020
Last week they met in small groups, and learned prevention practices like hand washing and social distancing and how to make cloth masks.
Apart from the practical information they learned, it was also a time that they could connect with each other (with 1 meter of distance between them!) about how they are coping with this challenging time.
Unlike most of us who have easy access to news sources and social media, many of these young women do not have access to up-to-date and reliable information about the pandemic, nor do they have ways to connect with each other remotely. Only some of them have phones, and only one among them has a phone that can connect to social media.
The outreach that is being done by the M’shujarts team has therefore been a hugely useful resource for these girls and young women.
We know that times like these of crisis can hit groups that are regularly discriminated against and excluded the hardest. It heartens us to know that this group is finding ways to support each other. In a time when physical distancing is necessary, social and emotional connection is even more important.
“Unlike most of us who have easy access to news sources and social media, many of these young women do not have access to up-to-date and reliable information about the pandemic, nor do they have ways to connect with each other remotely.”
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