Covid19 | Young Leaders in the Face of the Pandemic

Has there ever been a crisis as truly global as the one we are experiencing now? If I email my cousin's sister, Sarah, outside of Canada, she is locked in her home, avoiding the virus. The same goes for my former colleague, Daniel, who is at home in his apartment in East Africa. The same was true for Eliezer in Rwanda, until a few weeks ago when restrictions were relaxed.

The invisible enemy (Covid-19) knows no national borders. And it kills indiscriminately, Italians as well as Iranians, Americans, Africans as well as Russians.

The coronavirus has completely changed our way of life. Things are much more different than before. I clearly feel the anxiety of others when grocery stores run out of toilet paper or bottled water. I feel the pressure from our leaders to set and implement policies in hopes of ending this virus as quickly as possible. I think the response is appropriate and I appreciate all that people are doing to help stop the spread, as annoying as it may be.

The near future is uncertain for my country and all countries in the world. In a way, we all have a common enemy for once, the virus. 

Hopefully, the countries of the world will see a little more of what they have in common after this terrible disease has attacked us all. My country was not prepared to respond, so maybe we can be better prepared the next time this happens because who knows, it could happen again. 

The world should see itself as one thing, as one person. Not that our countries and cultures aren't important, but we can all help each other prepare to limit the needless suffering and death that has surprised the world this time with this virus. Other international disagreements should be put aside while we speed up the testing and get the ventilators, masks, and equipment to where they are needed.

In these uncertain times, leaders must be able to react quickly and be flexible enough to adapt their ways so that they can continue to provide essential services and protect the most vulnerable in society.

So, as a young leader, what would you do to help reduce the number of infections or socio-economic effects in your country or community?

Here are some ideas:

• Work with respected local decision-makers to plan and conduct awareness campaigns, including local decision-makers, religious, and civil society leaders for maximum effects. These will help in educating the public on best practices, including promoting good hygiene and social distancing, discouraging large public gatherings, and encouraging employers to protect the jobs of employees who require quarantine or treatment,

• Identify existing community groups and institutions working on the same issue. Learn about the work they are already doing that could contribute to the campaign and assess their reputation in the community in order to decide whether they can contribute positively to  the campaign,

• Utilize social media to the best possible use to raise awareness about the pandemic. In the face of COVID-19, social media is a great way for individuals and communities to stay connected even while physically separated. By doing this, not only we shall be learning the latest news, but also we can use platforms like Facebook and Twitter to provide personal and business updates,
• Explore ways to connect and volunteer virtually. Non-profits around the world are working to problem-solve and develop innovative solutions to reduce the spread of the virus such that they can continue running their activities,
• Make a donation to help non-profit organizations that are working tirelessly to continue delivering services and implementing programs.

In short, this crisis has made it clear that what harms our neighbors can also harm us, and what protects us can also protect them. We are all in the same boat.