ZAMBIA—Young people in Zambia are now able to access youth-friendly information on COVID-19 through the TuneMe Platform, a mobile application aimed at empowering youth to make choices about their bodies, rights, love life and health.
As well as giving factual and age-appropriate information to young people, the platform addresses various myths and misconceptions around COVID-19 that are primarily disseminated through social media.
Adolescents and young people can play an important role in mitigating risks and preventing the spread of the coronavirus.
“Adolescents and young people can play an important role in mitigating risks and preventing the spread of the coronavirus if empowered with accurate, age-appropriate information delivered through user-friendly digital platforms such as TuneMe,” says Kakuwa Musheke, Senior Youth Development Officer for the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Child Development.
The dissemination of COVID-19 information has been facilitated by UNFPA in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth, as part of the joint UN system in Zambia’s support to the Government of Zambia.
“With the prevailing disruption of routine spaces for adolescents and young people, such as schools and youth-friendly centres closing due to COVID-19, TuneMe presents an innovative way of continuity in the provision of information and support to adolescents and young people on both sexual and reproductive health and rights, as well as on COVID-19 prevention,” says Gift Malunga, UNFPA Representative for Zambia.
The updating of the TuneMe mobisite with youth-friendly COVID-19 messages was considered particularly important, given that young people are the main users of social media and therefore at higher risk of exposure to myths and misinformation spread primarily through social media.
TuneMe delivers content that empowers young people to make informed choices and adopt appropriate prevention behaviours against COVID-19, and in relation to their sexual and reproductive health.
Young people must be given the space they need to be industrious and to forge innovative solutions to create the post COVID-19 future they want for themselves, their peers and their communities.
As the pandemic evolves, UNFPA in Zambia continues to explore innovative platforms where adolescents and young people can share their concerns and access accurate information, along with critical information about their sexual and reproductive health and rights, and other important life skills such as how to cope with mental health stressors and build a positive attitude.
“Now, more than ever, we must collaborate with young people as partners,” says Dr. Julitta Onabanjo, UNFPA Regional Director for East and Southern Africa. “By supporting them to develop essential life skills, we can empower them to protect their health and well-being, as well as those around them. Young people must be given the space they need to be industrious and to forge innovative solutions to create the post COVID-19 future they want for themselves, their peers and their communities.”
About TuneMe
With support from UNFPA East and Southern Africa Regional Office (ESARO), Ford Foundation and Praekelt Foundation, the TuneMe mobisite was launched in Zambiain October 2015 as an mHealth platform to support young people in accessing relevant information on sexual and reproductive health and linkages to services. The platform is managed by the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Child Development in partnership with the Ministry of Health.
- Precious Zandonda
