President George Weah sings: ‘keep your hands clean to fight corona’
While governments work day and night to uphold lock-downs, some have to be most creative to reach the majority of citizens with limited access to national media. President George Weah recorded a song to inform his 4.5 million fellow Liberians about the corona virus. Radio is popular throughout the country and has coverage even in remote areas. Meanwhile, the President has a reputation for bold moves.
George Weah, who also happens to be a former international soccer celebrity, sang before. He did so during the 2014 ebola outbreak and in an appeal for peace in the country that is plagued by civil war. In the corona-song, he explains how the disease spreads and what the incubation period and symptoms are. ‘The single most important thing to protect yourself, is keep your hands clean,’ is one of his advices to the Liberians.
Singing and signing
George Weah has a reputation for brave political moves. In his first year as President, his government had to decide upon proposed legislation that would declare all Liberian land as state owned, regardless of the communities that lived and worked on that land for centuries. After successful advocacy work by national civil society organizations, bolstered by a global mobilization campaign by the LandRightsNow alliance, President Weah decided to sign the pro-community Land Rights Act. Watch the (2018) campaign video or read more.
More ‘Corona-songs’
Popular songs to inform, strengthen solidarity or for encouragement are popping up in many countries. While the Vietnamese Ministry of Health launched a campaign song, Ugandan opposition leader and artist Bobi Wine sings ‘sensitize to sanitize’.
In Kenya, the Mukuru Youth Initiative scored a hit with their ‘Stay fresh to fight Corona’. The initiative that is supported by Oxfam Novib was founded by youth of the Mukuru informal settlement and provides a platform for youths to showcase and address the issues affecting their communities.
Video
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