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COVID-19 RESPONSE


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UN-Habitat’s COVID-19 Community Awareness and Preparedness in Informal Settlements (CAPIS) project - Raising awareness through youth-led artwork

4 June 2020, Lami, Fiji - In response to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, UN-Habitat is supporting the Fiji Government to provide rapid response support to more than 70 informal settlements to help alleviate the impacts of COVID-19. Targeting over 9.000 households, the 3 month long project addresses behaviour change, awareness raising and WASH support, the establishment of community focal points to act as ‘Champions’ in densely populated settlements, support to isolation facilities and food banks addressing food insecurity due to Lock down/ isolation and loss of income, as well as the decentralization of markets for the urban poor.

UN-Habitat’s COVID-19 Community Awareness and Preparedness in Informal Settlements (CAPIS) project - Raising awareness through youth-led artwork

The final mural in Vuniivi settlement, Lami
Photo: UN-Habitat / Katherine Drakeford

The behaviour change and awareness raising component aims to improve the knowledge of COVID-19 symptoms, prevention and preparedness in over 70 informal settlements. During preliminary field visits to two settlements, households showed varying levels of knowledge of COVID-19, with many households not aware of the steps to take if a family member showed COVID-19 symptoms. UN-Habitat has developed community outreach guidelines that provide practical tips for informal settlements to adjust to the ‘new normal’. These guidelines were developed in consultation with the Ministry of Health and WHO to ensure a coordinated approach with consistent messaging. UN-Habitat Team Leader for Climate Resilience, Inga Korte, emphasises how important it is to continue with community outreach in Fiji, even though COVID-19 cases have been kept at a low number. ‘Many families are unsure about what the ‘new normal’ will look like, especially those living in informal settlements. It is important to keep the dialogue going between communities, health workers and government actors.’

Local government Health Inspectors will deliver trainings, along with the distribution of communication material and soap to the target settlements. ‘We need to make sure that people continue with safety measures such as physical distancing and washing hands, and that we identify champions in each community who will promote safe practices’ says Korte.

To reach the young population, UN-Habitat is working closely with youth groups and local artists to create community murals that raise awareness for COVID-19 prevention.

The sessions all start with general discussions on COVID-19, how it impacts the youth and how it spreads. The groups then brainstorm key COVID-19 prevention messages and how these could be presented to the community.

UN-Habitat’s COVID-19 Community Awareness and Preparedness in Informal Settlements (CAPIS) project - Raising awareness through youth-led artwork

Local youth discussing how to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in their informal settlement
Photo: UN-Habitat / Sunishma Singh

Talented local artists help the youth to design the messages they identified as most important to their community and guide them in completing the murals. UN-Habitat ensures that the activities are youth-led and promote ownership over the outcome.

Local artist Lambert Ho says: ‘There are information needs out there in our communities that we can address through art. It brings out restless children and the youth together to raise awareness and discuss openly issues that affect us all. Whether it’s dance, music, visual arts or storytelling, each child can bring to the table his or her own experiences, to share, to engage, to resolve. I have traveled Fiji extensively working with children through painting, drawing, chatting , and it brings me immense joy because they get to tell their stories in their own magical ways!’

UN-Habitat’s COVID-19 Community Awareness and Preparedness in Informal Settlements (CAPIS) project - Raising awareness through youth-led artwork

Youth in Vuniivi settlement painting COVID-19 awareness
Photo: UN-Habitat / Katherine Drakeford

Over the coming weeks, murals will be painted across many informal settlements in Fiji, bringing together the youth with local artists to paint in their settlements.


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