Creating awareness about COVID-19 in rural Ethiopia

To protect the girls and their families in the rural Her Choice communities in Ethiopia, local partner ESD is preparing a COVID-19 response plan in collaboration with Her Choice alliance member ICDI. The Ethiopian NGO is informing people about the risks posed by COVID-19 and informs them about how to protect themselves and their families according to the COVID-19 prevention guidelines of the Ethiopian Ministry of Health.

In rural Ethiopia people are using indigenous communication methods for information exchange, knowledge sharing and the dissemination of strategies for mutual assistance and survival. These means of communication are usually used in the communities during events like funerals or morn ceremonies and emergencies such as vaccination campaigns and epidemic outbreaks.

A member of the community acts as a spokesperson who is responsible for transferring messages. He  alerts people in the village using a megaphone. This person roams around the village early in the morning and speaks loudly while spreading his message. ESD regularly uses this indigenous communication method for the Her Choice target communities which are not reached through other media (TV, radio and internet).

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is a partner of Her Choice alliance members ICDI and Stichting Kinderpostzegels Nederland. ESD is working with communities, girls and different stakeholders to end child marriage and other harmful traditional practices including FGM.