By Amin Kef Sesay
On the 19th February 2021, during a brief orientation meeting held at the National Emergency Operations Center, the Spokesman of NaCOVERC, Solomon Jamiru, unveiled the second and final batch of Corona Fet Ambassadors. There are now 50 selfless Sierra Leoneans from all walks of life helping NaCOVERC to fight myths, fake news, rumours and misconceptions as the country races to beat the Coronavirus.
It could be recalled that few weeks back NaCOVERC launched the Corona Fet Na We All Fet Facebook page and unveiled the first set of Ambassadors of the ‘Share 4 Mama Salone’ Initiative.
The UNICEF-supported innovative initiative is being rolled out by the Risk Communication and Social Mobilization pillar, to drive and sustain active citizens’ participation in its current battle to contain the spread of the second wave of the coronavirus in Sierra Leone.
Hon. Mohamed Rahman Swarray, Minister of Information and Communications encouraged the Ambassadors to be role models and support the Government’s commitment to win the fight against the virus.
“Let us all do the right things by following NaCOVERC’s protocols and be responsible citizens. If you notice that somebody around you is exhibiting any signs, do the needful. That way, you will anger one person and save Sierra Leone from further spread,” he said.
Tapuwa Mutseyekwa, Communication Specialist at UNICEF Sierra Leone, noted that the initiative would play a critical role in engaging communities, raising awareness and continued promotion of preventive measures to help bring desired changes to health behaviours.
The primary role of the Ambassadors will be to create and share simple but compelling content on the pandemic on various social media platforms and help counter false news, rumours and myth around COVID19.
On the 4th February 2021, the National COVID-19 Emergency Response Centre (NaCOVERC) launched the Corona Fet Facebook Page and also orientated the recent appointed Share for Mama Salone Ambassadors.
The Ambassadors were orientated on the initiative as an innovative means to roll out, drive and sustain active citizens’ participation in the fight against COVID-19 and help to contain the spread of the second wave of the virus during an event that took place at the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), at Cockerill North in Freetown.
Alfred Jamiru served as the Chairperson of the programme whereas Harold Thomas, the Risk Communication Lead of NaCOVERC gave an overview and the rationale behind the Share 4 Mama Salone initiative. The keynote Speaker was the Minister of Information and Communications, Mohamed Rado Swarray.
It was stated, during the programme, that the Risk Communication and Social Mobilization pillars of NaCOVERC, in partnership with UNICEF Sierra Leone, are rolling out the Share 4 Mama Salone Ambassador Initiative to drive an integrated outreach across traditional and digital media channels through 50 key influencers to build and mobilize support in the fight against COVID-19.
These multi- stakeholders are considered to be opinion leaders and administrators of WhatsApp, Facebook and twitter groups with each commanding a huge number of followers in social media and their communities.
It was further underscored that in a bid to promote the corona virus awareness in Sierra Leone, working with those Ambassadors will help position NaCOVERC and build trust in COVID-19 response as it expands outreach and broadens engagements with citizens.
It was also highlighted that the identified Ambassadors have wide networks and considerable influencing powers within the Western Area, the provinces and even outside the country.
The incentive to join the initiative, it was stated, is primarily patriotism further maintaining that by joining the initiative the Ambassadors will help Sierra Leoneans access and engage with critical information on COVID-19.
Also stated was that the Ambassadors will be working alongside the Social Media Team of NaCOVERC to support the Spokesperson, RSCM, Advisers, Leads and RCSM sub groups.
The Share 4 Mama Salone Ambassadors shall among other things create and share simple but compelling corona virus contents on social media platforms especially Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and Twitter.
They will Like and share alike posts on the NaCOVERC Corona Fet Facebook, proactively create editorial contents (stories, photos advocacy images, contests, campaigns, audio, video, info graphics, etc.)in cooperation with the RCSM Social Media Team and adapt for media pitching and posting to respective channels.
In addition they shall adapt multimedia assets from NaCOVERC RCSM for the consumption by the local audience, cross share content on the NaCOVERC Corona Fet Facebook page collaborate and support NaCOVERC in public events,use hashtags #Share4MamaSalone and #CoronaFetNarWeAllFet on all COVID-19 related postings, support NaCOVERC in countering false news, rumours and myths which undermine the efforts of the RCSM in behavioural change moves, sign up to one of the RCSM sub groups as a partner (media, messaging, social mobilization, monitoring and evaluation of sub groups).
The Ambassadors shall provide contact details (preferable and active email addresses or numbers on WhatsApp to receive updates from NaCOVERC. In turn NaCOVERC will provide the Risk Communication and Social Mobilization pillars,
It will also provide counsel on social content/strategy as well as train the Ambassadors on innovative communications.
Stated was that NaCOVERC is ready to produce and share multimedia content to increase media outreach and enhance effective visibility.
NaCOVERC will also maintain and share with the Ambassadors regular, up-to-date, accurate information from the response, a media calendar of NaCOVERC’s key activities and all upcoming schedules.
With funding from UNICEF, NaCOVERC will support each Ambassador with credit to their nominated phones per week over a period of 8 weeks.
Yugoslavian Consul to Sierra Leone, CEO of Pikin Bizness, philanthropist and Honorary Paramount Chief, Dr.Adonis Abboud was among the second batch of the Ambassadors that went through the orientation.
