Three change agents, Yitpinwa, Yilgola, and Gomos, represented Stronger Women Stronger Nations cohorts in a committee for the Pankshin local government in Nigeria.
Change agents in the Pankshin community of Nigeria carried out sensitization and awareness campaigns to educate people about measures needed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Their desire to give people correct information about the pandemic could save lives, as there is a lot of misinformation around their community and others.
These leaders meet with the deputy chairman of Pankshin local government area when they were informed that the local government council wanted to create a committee on awareness.
The committee members include representatives from the Ministry of Health and traditional and religious leaders. Together, these members were to go around on a vehicle mounted with a loudspeaker disseminating health information of the virus. Then, the committee members would give community presentations demonstrating social distancing, hand washing and wearing a face mask.
After their meeting with the chairman, they were given seats on the committee.
Excitedly they exclaimed through a phone call, “I am representing the change agents in a committee set up by the local government for sensitization and awareness against COVID-19. We have fifteen members, and we will go around communities in the local government to create awareness and sensitize our people on the virus”.
The committee went to six districts in two days: Pai, Wokkos, Pankshin, Tal, Chip and Langkang.
When they arrived in a new district, they first reported to the the district head’s house where they gave copies of pamphlets containing information about virus. Then, they rode through the community to give our demonstrations in places where people are gathered. The awareness message was projected in the communities native language with the help of local district representatives.