The YMCAs of Liberia and Sierra Leone have bravely undertaken awareness raising campaigns within their communities to help halt the spread of the Ebola virus in their region. In order to continue their work, both YMCAs are in desperate need of resources and financial support.
You can find more information on how to assist the YMCAs below.
Liberia:
The Liberia YMCA is planning to target 100 young people directly through peer education training. These 100 youth will target 6,000 indirectly over the three month period through small group presentations, house to house awareness, screening of audio visual materials and community level engagement activities (public washing hands facilities).
– Training of 100 health peer educators from 7 YMCA branches
– Printing of IEC materials received from the Ministry of Health
– Training of YMCA Staff and volunteers to provide support to peer educators
– Public engagement through use of public address systems for increased outreach on ebola awareness
– Community level stakeholder engagement, including liaising with the respective County Health Teams
– Running of atleast 2 public hand washing centers at strategic locations (market places, parking centers) in each site
– To conduct atleast 4 public outreach activities per month in each site, using audiovisual materials for sensitisation.
For more information and to provide your support:
E. Edward Gboe, NGS, Liberia YMCA
eegboe.ymcalr@gmail.com
ymcalr@gmail.com
Sierra Leone:
The YMCA of Sierra Leone’s emergency appeal is to raise resources to eradicate Ebola disease in Sierra Leone and to institute measures that will enhance timely surveillance and reporting of potential or future outbreak of the epidemic.
The emergency programme’s objectives are:
– Increase community awareness on and enhance capacity for Ebola disease prevention and control.
– To prevent spread of Ebola disease through supply of chlorine and washing soap to household members
– To implement a prevention and response strategy to on-going Ebola outbreaks throughout the country.
– The YMCA of Sierra Leone will undertake the following activities:
A) Convene weekly committee meetings at community level to assess eradication status of deadly disease.
B) Train 500 community health volunteers in health and hygiene promotion in 5 districts who were provided with chlorine and information materials for distribution at household levels and disseminate Ebola prevention messages through peer education using megaphones.
C) Disseminate Ebola prevention messages on community radios: air jingles on Ebola prevention and control over the radio; weekly radio discussion and phone-in programmes.
D) Organise Community sensitisation meetings targeting traditional leaders, Councillors, Religious leaders, women leaders, youth leaders, food handlers, well owners, teachers, in the affected areas
E) Print and distribute appropriate information materials (posters, flyer and booklet).
F) Distribution of chlorine and washing soaps to households in target communities.
G) Provide mobile handsets that will enable community members to call Ebola hotline in reporting cases.
For more information and to provide your support:
Christian Kamara, NGS Sierra Leone YMCA
ymcasl@yahoo.co.uk
christian@africaymca.org
Source: www.africaymca.org
