As Covid-19 infections escalate in the Eastern Cape, confusion, misinformation and anxiety are rife. The need for clear, reliable and locally relevant information is urgent, especially in isolated rural communities. A coalition of farmers, students, academics and activists are using WhatsApp messages in vernacular isiXhosa to share information.
ELRC and Department of Environmental Science scholars and community partners have joined hands with community partners in existing learning networks in the Eastern Cape to establish the Eastern Cape Together Iqonga LoThungelwano (community action network) to fight COVID-19 and address the limitations of communications information being shared to rural communities in the province. Post-doctoral scholars, masters scholars, PhDs, partners and staff members in the ELRC are all involved in developing contextually relevant materials that are then shared widely. A process of two-way communication has been established as beautifully described in this Daily Maverick Article published yesterday.
For further information on this network, contact Heila Lotz-Sisitka on h.lotz-sisitka@ru.ac.za or Taryn Pereira on t.pereirakaplan@ru.ac.za