Last Mile Sensitisation on COVID-19

With the numbers of infections of the COVID 19 pandemic rising worldwide and the attendant consequences if strong preventive actions are not taken in Nigeria, Onelife Initiative decided on a last-mile intervention. With a team of 4 observing personal safety, we moved from Ibadan on Monday through Ologuneru axis and returned back to the city through Oyo town on Friday evening just before the 7 pm curfew hour. Our intention with this mini-project was to provide sensitisation and also understand how individuals resident in off-grid communities are also preparing themselves to flatten the COVID 19 curve and prevent infection.

A summary of our activities are captured below —

1. We visited 7 local government areas in the interiors of Oyo State with the closest location being 2 hours away from Ibadan and the farthest about 5 hours away from the city. Places visited include Ibarapa East, Ibarapa Central, Saki East, Saki West, Iseyin, Oyo West, Atiba, Iddo Local Government Areas.

2. We provided information on Corona virus and how to ensure prevention through the use of our mobile PA system.

3. We also provided banner with local language infographics which we hung at strategic place in each of the Local government areas we visited.

4. In addition to these, we shared fliers with the same information and used the opportunity to provide one on one information and answer questions.

5. To enable us also understand perception towards the virus better, we administered a questionnaire to enable understanding of knowledge, perception and response towards the virus. The questionnaire has 30 questions and is divided into 5 sections. In some locations, it was a Focus Group Discussion format that was fed into the questionnaire.

6. We also observed various patterns on the highway especially with law enforcement officers at check points, other road users and highway traders.

7. We were also live for about 45 minutes on a leading rural/sub-urban radio station — Gravity FM 88.1 Igboho, Orelope Local Government Area of Oyo State. Called Alaluja, it is the leading private radio station in Oke Ogun Are of Oyo State, Nigeria and beyond. It is also listened to in parts of Kwara state given its proximity to Igboho.

Our findings are being put together in a report that should be ready in about a week from now. There’s a pandemic. It’s real. Young people are not immune. Please stay at home and also take to heart instructions from the WHO, Ministry of Health and other institutional bodies providing direction at this time.