Using Radio and WhatsApp to Save Lives During COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic officially reached Sierra Leone on 31 March 2020, bringing with it the vivid and pervasive recollection of a dark period in the nation’s recent history: the Ebola outbreak from 2014 and 2015.

The country’s diverse religious leaders, through Religions for Peace’s Interreligious Council (IRCSL), employed the expertise gained from overcoming the Ebola crisis to actively stave off COVID-19 by employing diverse media platforms at national and local levels. They hosted radio talk shows where religious leaders interacted with listeners and expressed their thoughts, fears and answers to their various questions about the coronavirus; they produced a TV segment on the precautionary measures to contain and curb the spread of the virus; video messages from influential religious leaders were shared broadly via WhatsApp.

These programmes and messages, were conducted in local languages. In order to combat misinformation and rumors, religious communities translated health guidelines into 6 local languages, while encouraging people to be responsible and intentional with the news they consume.

“Religious leaders are revered as messengers of peace and hope, and people always turn to them when they are not certain about the future, due to their role as moral guardians of values in the country,” said Mr. Alpha Kamara, working with IRCSL.

In fact, IRCSL issued a statement condemning all forms of violence, discrimination, and hate speech against victims of COVID-19 and further denounced police misconduct in enforcing government directives and guidelines. “We further appealed to the government to continue carrying out [the] responsibility of ensuring that citizens live in peace and tranquility by upholding the Constitution of Sierra Leone, promoting unity, peace and justice throughout the country,” says Sheikh Abu Bakar Conteh, President of IRCSL.

Religious leaders and communities worked to increase access to information and transform attitudes and behaviours across the country. Equipped with more information, citizens began wearing face masks, washing their hands more frequently, and practicing social distancing regulations.

“A bike rider from the countryside listened to the radio talk show from Rev. Dr. Usman J. Fornah, Secretary General of IRCSL, emphasizing hand washing and sanitizing. He bought a veronica bucket [1] and set-up a hand washing station outside his house,” shared Mr. Alpha Kamara.