Monrovia- Liberia Initiative for Empowerment (LIFE) has launched a campaign to protect children against the deadly Covid-19 virus.
The Local Non-Governmental Organization said they aimed at promoting hygienic practices among kids who are currently in school.
It can be recalled that Covid-19 outbreak in Liberia caught many unaware during the first outbreak resulting in the government putting measures in place as the cases started increasing. It was then that the public realized that the outbreak was no joke.
However, Liberia Initiative For Empowerment (LIFE), a local non-governmental organization stepped in to complement efforts by the National Public Health Institute Of Liberia (NPHIL) by manufacturing thousands of reusable fabric masks that were distributed to frontline workers and other critical agencies as well as the public.
The outbreak revealed the need for close collaboration between the government and NGOs.
The local NGO feels the current wave of the virus requires much more cooperation and multi-stakeholder collaboration.
In this vein, LIFE is spearheading an awareness campaign to promote hygienic practices among children. Particularly those in school by using videos, audio, infographic materials and children-focused awareness talk shows to enable the children to understand and practice the health protocols.
According to the Program Coordinator of LIFE Humpheretta Reid Research evidence has shown that young children can be potential carriers of the virus.
“Although there is a lot of awareness about COVID-19, we do not have enough child-friendly resources to help children understand the situation”.
We are encouraging local NGOs to join the fight. Mass production of reusable fabric masks will be distributed free during the awareness campaign” she said.
Madam Reid also disclosed that they will move from community to communities to make sure kids are well protected from the virus.
“We are giving out free Masks to the kids because many of them don’t have means of buying masks and we feel they are important to the society’”
The LIFE program Coordinator added that they will not stop the distribution of masks and Hygienic materials to kids until all kids in the Montserrado and other parts of the country get a mask.
She is at the same time calling on partners in the Country to either follow their good example or assist them with funding to produce more masks for free distribution.
“We Know Monrovia is not Liberia so with more support we will be moving to other counties,” Humpheretta Reid asserted.