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Young People Taking Action in Response to COVID-19

Learners explore examples of young people’s engagement and participation during COVID-19 by hearing the voices of young people.
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Hi guys! I am Olasupo Abideen from Nigeria. In this video I will talk about how how young people can take action and are already playing an active role in curbing the spread of COVID-19.
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Young people have the potential to make a huge difference in curbing the spread of COVID-19. In many countries and especially developing countries young people actually make up the majority of the population. It’s everyone right to have a choice regarding decisions that affect their life and their communities especially during time of crisis and this includes all young people too.
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However you may choose to lend an hand, please always remember to follow the guidance of your local health authorities. You should not put yourself or other at risk or negatively affect your well-being
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I wanna share some stories from young people around the world who have been taking actions against COVID-19 including my humble self.
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Quinn is a twelve years old scout from North America who found out that surgical masks used by health workers were painful to wear. This sparked an idea. Quinn used a prototype he found on the internet and a 3D printers to create ear guards to ease pressure from the mask. Quinn’s mum shared his initiative on social media inspiring thousands of others to replicate the ear guards for health workers in their own communities.
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I am a 26 year old Sustainable Development Goal campaigner from Nigeria. I along side other volunteers who are developers or researchers created a platform known as “Know COVID-19 Nigeria” to share up to date information on COVID-19 and within a week the campaign has debunked over 30 incorrect news and reached out to over 4 million Nigerians.
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Shishu is a restless development volunteer from India. Since lockdown measures took effect Shishu teamed up with local organizations and his government to deliver 50,000 meals to newly unemployed workers and the elderly. If you wanna volunteer too make sure you choose an organization that has taken precautions to ensure the safety of all or provide and receive support.
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Farida is making soap and training others on COVID-19 prevention. Farida is a music producer and refugee in Uganda’s Kyaka refugee settlement. She and her brother founded a youth group who have been making and distributing soap and teaching others hand washing techniques and other prevention methods such as physical distancing.
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What is your story of youth power? So share your experience of taking on COVID-19! Perhaps you have taught someone safety precautions, shared information on hand washing and physical distancing correct a myth or a forced assumption about the virus, helped a family member friend or a frontline health worker.
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Tips on how you can take action. You can take action by volunteering for any cause you believe in by collaborating with other young people online and as well by making your contribution towards flattening the curve.
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You are in the best place to understand what you and your community need most during this time. The first step to getting started is identifying your top priorities.
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Think about your skill set and what advantage you may have in supporting the fight against Corona virus.
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Join initiatives online or in your area. If you are not sure about how you can help try to find assisting initiatives in your area. You can ask your friends or search online. to find out what your government and local organizations are doing to respond to your community needs.
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Get creative. There are so many ways
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for young people to make a difference: whether it’s online tutoring or raising money for local organizations, calling out stigma or reaching out to other people or friends to check on how they are. Small actions can indeed make a big difference.
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Make your own video! We want to hear how you will take action to stop the spread of COVID-19 and flatten the curve. If you can help I challenge you to film this video yourself and share with your friends. Thank you.

Despite the multiple impacts of COVID-19 on young people’s lives, many young people have rapidly mobilized to respond to the crisis. Young people around the world are working together and taking action to protect themselves and their households from COVID-19, to support their communities and to prevent the spread of the outbreak. Young people know what is most needed in their community and have the ability to adapt, connect and respond quickly.

Watch the video —”Episode 5: Young People Taking Action Against COVID-19”, part of the #Youthagainstcovid19 campaign organized by UNFPA in cooperation with Prezi. In this video, Abideen Olasupo from Nigeria talks about how young people are taking action against COVID-19.

If you are interested in other stories you can also read accounts of Oliver, in Uganda, and Catherine, in Kenya.

Your Task

Reflect on the specific situation of young people in your own context. How have they been impacted by COVID-19? Have you seen examples of young people responding?

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This content is taken from The Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action online course
Protecting Children during COVID-19 and other Infectious Disease Outbreaks
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