GESS Broadcasts Vital Information on COVID-19 for those with Hearing Impairments

As COVID-19 continues to spread across the world, South Sudan is not being spared.  As the number of cases increases, it is critical that information about prevention measures is communicated as widely as possible, including to those most at risk, such as individuals with disabilities.

Girls’ Education South Sudan (GESS) has produced Public Service Announcements (PSAs) and SMSs communicating accurate information about COVID-19. Messages focus on hygiene and sanitation, including Ministry of Health and World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines on physical distancing and protective behaviours, as well as encouraging parents to support their children to learn whilst schools are closed. PSAs are currently being aired on 31 radio stations across the country.

To ensure that no child is left behind, GESS has adapted these PSAs into audio-visual clips with South Sudan Sign Language interpretation, subtitled in English and Arabic. The materials were developed in close coordination with disability experts and GESS partner, Leonard Cheshire, and Disabled Persons’ Organizations (DPOs) in South Sudan.

GESS will continue to ensure that important messages are accessible to all, using multiple media outlets, including South Sudan TV to disseminate these messages to ensure that they reach as many people as possible, including those with disabilities.

Watch number 1 out of 3 PSAs:

For more information on COVID-19 and how to best protect yourself and your family, call the toll-free number 6666 in South Sudan.

The GESS programme receives £70 million (GBP) of UK aid from the UK Government and $15 million (CAD) from the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada. The Ministry of General Education and Instruction (MoGEI) leads the GESS programme, supported by implementing partners who provide technical advice. GESS is managed by a consortium led by Cambridge Education/Mott MacDonald, including BBC Media Action, Montrose, Leonard Cheshire and Windle Trust International.

www.girlseducationsouthsudan.org E-mail: info@gess-southsudan.org Phone: +211 928 136 999 (MTN)/ +211 917 780 442 (Zain)

Categorised in: Girls' Education, Quality Education, Uncategorised