Tema Newtown residents sensitised to COVID-19 safety protocol

Mastercard Foundation, in partnership with Stratcomm Africa, has stepped up education and sensitisation efforts on COVID-19 for residents of Tema Newtown in the Greater Accra Region.

The campaign, dubbed : #ItsUpToUs, was aimed at sensitising and engaging members of the fishing community to continue observing the COVID-19 protocol of wearing face masks, maintaining physical distancing, regular hand sanitising and other precautions as stipulated by the Ghana Health Service to protect themselves, their families and the community.

The campaign activities included the use of selected social media influencers and skits to drive home the message to curb the surge of the disease, especially among young people.

Addressing the gathering last Friday, a representative of Stratcomm Africa, Ms Myra Ankrah, noted that young people were at the heart of the Mastercard Foundation interventions.

She added that in 2020, when the world faced the COVID-19 pandemic, the foundation began to partner the local creative industry to run digital campaigns across social media, to sensitise and to encourage Ghanaians to observe and take up the COVID-19 protocol.

Vibrant community

Ms Ankrah indicated that Tema Newtown, being a vibrant community, had many young people and there was the need to educate and sensitise them to how to prevent COVID-19 from disrupting their businesses and their lives.

She said Mastercard Foundation, Stratcomm Africa and the local creative industry were working together to drive the message of preventive care to families, communities and individuals in a compelling and fun way.

Drama

The Secretary of the Tema Youth Association, Mr Enoch Tetteh-Appoe, welcomed the drama approach and said it would go a long way to reach young people in the community who were at the heart of the campaign.

A campaign ambassador, Ms Joselyn Dumas, urged Ghanaians, especially the youth, not to "drop the ball" but stick to COVID-19 safety rules as the festive season began.

Writer's email: benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh