Mastercard Foundation Public Awareness Campaign: Fostering Community Public Health Champions

Background
1. COVID-19 is no longer a global health emergency, but it is still with us.
● To protect yourself from COVID-19, and several other health conditions, remember to:

● Cover your mouth when you cough.
● Wash your hands often.
● Avoid touching your face.
● Practice social distancing where possible.
● Get vaccinated.

● Keep your family and community informed. If you are interested in more public health information, please reach out to (insert a contact for people to reach out to. These will be our public health champions moving forward.)

2. Build healthier and more resilient communities
● Adherence to preventive measures that are essential to the health and well-being of the continent’s populace, is key to preventing transmission and protecting oneself and others within their communities. Achieving these community health goals requires partnership and collaboration among various stakeholders to ensure a coordinated and holistic approach to public health in addressing multiple health challenges effectively.

3. It’s up to us
Everyone holds the power to keep themselves and others safe. A community-driven approach to public health inspires a lasting change and extends to larger audiences. Together, we can save lives and livelihoods

4. Preparedness for future health crises
● Let us all continue advocating for the implementation of preparedness measures to prevent and minimize the impact of future health crises. It is crucial to emphasize the significance of investing in robust healthcare systems and capacity building. By doing so, we can ensure an effective response and efficient recovery when faced with health emergencies. Shule Africa will conduct 9 Webinars in 8 African countries (Kenya, Burundi, Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia, Ghana, Malawi and Nigeria) that will enable 675 educators to attend the webinars and spread awareness in their immediate communities and enable 600 Community Public Health Champions to OPT-IN to be trained online become community ambassadors.

Webinar Program Line-up
KENYA - MASTERCARD FOUNDATION PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN

                                                           WEBINAR PROGRAMME
                                              DATE: 6/06/2023 TIME: 2000h- 2130h EAT

VIROLOGIST GUIDELINES
1. Provide COVID-19 overview: Cover transmission, prevention measures, and vaccination updates.
2. Discuss country-specific infections: Include Ebola, Influenza, Malaria, and Yellow Fever.
Provide insights on prevalence, transmission, prevention, and vaccinations.
3. Debunk myths and misconceptions: Address common public health misconceptions.
4. Share practical strategies for educators: Provide effective methods to educate and engage youth.
5. Discuss campaign goals: Target 600 champions in public health issues from the community.
6. Highlight teacher roles: Emphasize teachers' role in recruiting youth champions and spreading accurate messages.
7. Highlight campaign impact: Improved community health outcomes and enhanced public health awareness.

PANEL DISCUSSION FORMAT:
The panel discussion will be moderated by Irene Tindi. It will be conducted in a Q & A format where the moderator will ask questions within the below focus areas and pick any of the panelists to respond/discuss. (Note: For the infections focus on Covid-19 and other country-specific infections)

Panel Discussion Questions
● What are some of the common misconceptions or myths surrounding COVID-19, Ebola, Influenza, Yellow Fever, and Malaria? How can we effectively address and debunk these myths to promote accurate information among the public?
● In terms of transmission, what are the primary modes of spread for COVID-19, Ebola, Influenza, Yellow Fever, and Malaria? How can educators play a crucial role in educating their communities about these modes of transmission and implementing preventive measures?
● What are the recommended prevention measures for COVID-19, Ebola, Influenza, Yellow Fever, and Malaria? How can teachers effectively communicate these preventive measures to their students, colleagues, and the wider community?
● Regarding vaccination, what are the available vaccines for COVID-19, Ebola, Influenza, Yellow Fever, and Malaria? What are the benefits of vaccination in preventing the spread of these diseases? How can teachers actively encourage vaccination and address vaccine hesitancy in their communities?
● What are some key statistics or evidence-based findings that demonstrate the importance of vaccination for COVID-19, Ebola, Influenza, Yellow Fever, and Malaria? How can we utilize this data to reinforce the significance of vaccinations in public health and disease prevention?

● How can educators effectively engage their communities in discussions about the importance of vaccinations for COVID-19, Ebola, Influenza, Yellow Fever, and Malaria? What strategies or approaches have proven successful in overcoming vaccine hesitancy and fostering acceptance among teachers, students, and the broader population?

After the designated panelist has responded to a question, any other panelist who would like to build up on the response or discussion is free to do so. The session will therefore be interactive and engaging and will take the shape of a moderated roundtable conversation

NB – If you are particularly keen on responding to a specific focus area kindly let us know. We will brief the moderator accordingly on your specific area of interest.

PANELISTS (KENYA ENGLISH):
Irene Tindi (MODERATOR ENGLISH): Irene is an experienced moderator with a wealth of expertise in physical and virtual events. She is also a strategist, development practitioner, and entrepreneur. As the founder of TUGROW AFRIKA, Irene is committed to inspiring socio-economic transformation in Africa through community engagement. She has effectively moderated numerous events organized by government agencies, development partners, the private sector, religious institutions, and alumni chapters. Irene holds a degree in International Business Administration from United States International University and an MBA in Strategic Management from the University of Nairobi.

Godfrey Odhiambo (PANEL): Godfrey is a passionate and dedicated STEM educator with a multifaceted background in education, public health, and technology. As a PhET Fellow, he leverages interactive simulations to enhance student learning and integrates them effectively into STEM lessons. He serves as a Scientix Ambassador, collaborating with educators worldwide to advance STEM education. He is also a Tech mentor to young girls.

Rachel Njagi (PANEL): Rachel is an experienced and passionate educator with over 15 years of teaching and school management experience, including prestigious institutions such as Riara Group of schools and CITAM schools. She was the Academic Director at Canopy Life Academy, where she led the academic program, trained teachers, empowered parents, and developed educational content. She is currently pursuing a masters degree in counseling psychology at Pan African Christian University (PAC). Rachel is the founder of 'Kids Life Empowerment,' inspiring educators and parents on effective connection with children and guiding students through coaching and mentorship.

Dr Marianne Mureithi (VIROLOGIST ENGLISH): Dr. Mureithi is the current Chair, Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology and a Senior Research Fellow, at the University of Nairobi, Kenya. She is a Senior Research Fellow and Basic Science Research Team Leader at KAVI-Institute of Clinical Research, She is also involved in research that seeks to understand the current pandemic and the determining the appropriate responses to minimize virus spread and mortality associated with COVID-19.