Faraja Africa Foundation in partnership with Restless Development, YOULead and the Westminster Foundation for Democracy; are hoping to capture short1-2 minute videos of young people like yourself sharing how COVID-19 has affected you (young people in East Africa). Please respond to the following question:

 

“What has been the biggest impact of COVID-19 on your life, and how have you been coping with it?” 

Send Videos via WhatsApp on: +256772472724

Guidance On Content of the Video

Keep the video personal; it makes for a more powerful message. As long as you feel comfortable doing so, speak specifically about your life – not that of young people generally and all in English. Here’re some tips on filming:

• Record yourself with your phone in landscape mode or using your computer camera, and position yourself in the middle of the frame and talk directly into the camera. (It would be nice if you can have the camera pointing up at you – because it makes people perceive you with more authority.)

• Be sure to leave enough headroom (i.e. a little bit of blank space above your head in the frame), and prop your phone up/position your laptop camera to frame you well and ensure the camera is stable. If filming with your phone, make sure your camera on your phone is on the top corner not the bottom (manually check this on your camera).

• Record yourself in a quiet location like at your desk
• Count to three seconds before you speak – and when you are done saying what you way to say, hold your gaze into the lens and count to three in your head before you press end the recording.
• Once you’ve recorded the first take, watch it back with headphones and check it looks and sounds good. If not – re, record it. (Remember it can’t be longer than 2 minutes 20 seconds or you can post it on twitter.)

NOTE: Will be using these videos in a couple different ways: on a COVID-specific page hosted on our and partners website or other platforms; on our socials as part of a social media campaign; in key quotations included in our report; and potentially, in policy discussions that we organise to talk about the findings from both this and our survey.

Send Videos via WhatsApp on: +256772472724

 Consent and Copyright

All participants who will submit material to the us will be consenting and acknowledging that the we and out partners (mentioned above) may use their pictures, videos and other content produced during this campaign for purposes above and work.

The COVID-19 Pandemic has globally affected our cultures, ways of social interactions, habits, but most importantly our economies. Many companies and organizations find themselves struggling to cope with the uncertainty in measures set to control the spread of the Corona Virus. As a result, most businesses are down, organizations are non-operational and even some individual self-employed entrepreneurs to seem to be affected. As Faraja Africa Foundation, we would like to say, you don’t need to shut down! We would like to share a few tips on what you could consider in reworking your digital strategy to fit the working home environment for a self-employed person, companies and organizations i.e. employers, employees and the Gig-economy freelancers;

1. Self-Discipline: The key first thing to accept is that you are going to face resistance from yourself, hence need for a mindset shift and adaptability to working from home if you are new to this. Set objectives and goals (in the form of tasks to finish) and ensure you have indicators in the form of result you need to accomplish. To comfort, you can also dress the part, cleanup go if need be as you prepare to work.
2. Time Management; The power of prioritization is a treasure in living an accomplished life. Map out what you are meant to accomplish inform of the to-do list and follow it to the dot, but if you skipped a deadline, go easy on yourself and make time to do. Remember to reward yourself after you have accomplished your to-do list with breaks.
3. Designating a Working Area; Work from your area of productivity comfort with fewer distractions. To some of us, this may mean a physical place, others it may be virtual etc. what matters is you limiting destructions as much as possible, from your mind, social media, environment, etc. Imagine the designated place as your office and only go there when you are going to fulfil your day’s work. Learn to build focus and concentration minimizing movements until your set break times.
4. Communicate with The People You Are Staying with Home: Inform your family members or housemates about your work schedule, designated place and need for their support in you attaining the respective set targets. If possible, ask for help to help simplify what you’re doing that’s if it’s in their capacity.
5. Set Reminders on Tasks and Appointments: Committing things on paper or writing. Don’t allow your mind to rest hence allowing it focus on other things. It could be meetings, deadlines, tasks to do etc. We will share on some of the resources you could use to achieve this. This needs to be done daily after setting out a monthly target with weekly objectives broken down to daily to-do lists.
6. Constant Communication with Workmates; Build a social support network with fellow workmates, effective communication through calls, online meetings, emails, video chats and Office WhatsApp group chats. They become accountability partners as you would be to them collectively supporting each other’s work will reduce the burden of having to struggle alone hence giving moral support.
7. Improvise and Use of Available Recourses both Offline/Online;

• Notebooks: Keeping this will best be used for scheduling, capturing your ideas, keeping a record of notes as reminders, plans, minutes etc. You can later choose to transfer your content.
• Phones: This can be used as your communication and coordination tool. If it’s a smartphone, then it can also be an extension of your virtual office especially with apps like; email, social media, MS word-excel, calendar for scheduling and reminders, zoom and skype for digital meetings, browser if you don’t have one, etc.
• Computers: If you have one, great! They can help simplify your work, knowing most of our work is about writing and creating content, computers usually have a larger surface to do your work from faster. However, observe best practices such as; charging, saving work done, don’t reduce it to being a tool of entertainment. Train your mind to respect it as a virtual office and tool to accomplish the work you seek to do. Movies, games and music, if necessary, avoid doing them on the computer.  Ensure you have updated windows or operating systems, turn off auto-updates to save data usage.
• Make Use of Online Platforms; If you have a smartphone or computer ensure to have accounts such as Skype, have your email app installed both on Gmail, Outlook and more, Zoom, MS etc.
• Coordination Tools: If you are working with a team, make use of G-Suite, comes with emails, google drive for backing up your work, calendar, spreadsheets, and more. One can also use Microsoft Office 360 for Non-profits if you are an organization, it costs less than $3-4 a month and you can have your organization purchase it to be shared with a larger group of people. That way you can coordinate through teams, work on a document in real-time for both of you and more.
• Use Cheaper Internet Bundles; The cost of internet has not gone down. However, most telecom services have created special work bundles that we can use. However, it’s key you learn how to sustain your data usage by keeping away from non-work-related or irrelevant things. internet is nebulous, hence it can be used for good, so can it be used for bad leading to addictions on social media, pornography and much more, so watch out.
• Heavy Content Sharing: If you are sending information, you may use WeTransfer and many more others. However, if you a working as an office team and what to share folders, then we encourage the use still of Google Drive, One Drive, and these can be accessed by the GSuite, iCloud or Microsoft 360. Both have a free and paid-for version, whatever works in your means, use it.

8. Digital Transactions; In as much, we have a lockdown, use of such platforms can help ease work. Things like Mobile Money, e-banking from banks and internet banking may be the new normal. If you have not subscribed for these services at your bank, you may need to do so fast. That way you can transact at the comfort of your home allowing your business to be operational.
9. Exercise and Entertainment; Before or After a long day of work take some time off to engage in physical activities or exercises to refresh your mind. Entertainment too is good just as building yourself spiritually and reading outside your daily work routine and does not cover beyond 30% of your productive time.

In conclusion, these are just tips, feel free to do more if you feel you can. Always remember to keep following the guidelines set by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the government of your country. We, however, are committed to supporting you in any way we can.

Share this blog to your networks. Stay Safe, Stay Home!

By Emmanuel Wabwire

Released on 2nd April 2020 

Even during these tough times of the global covid-19 pandemic, the youth have remained dynamic, productive, innovative and ever present. From the boda-bodas making deliveries of basic food items to young women vending in the markets, the power of youth has prevailed. 

Defending youth democratic rights and our fundamental freedoms can be challenging, let alone having to do it while under “lockdown” practicing social distancing in the midst of a global health crisis spreading rapidly across the world. In times like these, solidarity and social compassion play the most important role. 

Youth of Uganda together with other youth civil society organisations and informal youth movements want to respond to the fast moving emergency and arising needs across various locations affecting young people but also from the ongoing presidential directives and calling for the following: 

To the General Public 

● Stay home and keep the health measures as advised by the Government of Uganda and ministry of health 

● Avoid stigmatisation of people that have been tested positive for COVID-19. 

● Fight fake news online and promote accurate information or facts from experts and trusted sources. 

To the Government: 

This pandemic has been a demonstration that governments can act, and people can change their behaviour, in a very short amount of time. We appreciate the government efforts in fighting the pandemic and we request the government to further: 

● Review its prevention measures and how they affect the youth who live hand to mouth and make up more than 55% of the population well as the 65% Ugandan households in the informal sector. 

● Put into the Ugandan Context the presidential directives that are being made, how feasible they are to a Ugandan youth so that we avoid having death due to hunger and even increase in crime. A concrete policy direction from government on humanitarian assistance and economic recovery during and post COVID 19 is needed 

● Regulate powers of the officers including LDUs, Police and UPDF that is enforcing these laws so that they do not affect abuse the human rights of local citizens especially the young people. 

● Emphasis on Price levels for all the food being sold, and if possible in the next presidential address announce minimum prices for basics like salt, soap, posho and beans to avoid skyrocketing prices. 

● National water and Sewage Corporation and UMEME to provide water and electricity to all citizens and not charge clients during the months of the lockdown. 

● Government should revise taxes in wake of the COVID 19 pandemic and grant tax holidays to Small scale industries and tax incentives to banks and credit facilities so that they reduce interest rates. 

● Review the OTT tax so as to enable more young people to use social media to access information and work with telecom houses on reduce on rates for data. 

The current pandemic is unfolding upon unjust structures that have plagued us as a country for decades. There is a need to reinvest in the social infrastructure of the country in areas like public healthcare and social safety nets so that no one is left behind. 

Human Rights Based Approach To Fight The Pandemic: 

While we recognize the severity of the current health crisis and acknowledge that the use of emergency powers is allowed by the Uganda laws in response to the pandemic, we urgently request the government that any emergency responses to the coronavirus must be proportionate, necessary and non-discriminatory. 

Covid-19 outbreak should not be used as a basis to target particular groups or individuals. It should not function as a cover for repressive action under the guise of protecting health. STATEMENT ON COVID-19 ON THE YOUTH IN UGANDA 

We request the government of Uganda to remain steadfast in maintaining a human rights-based approach to regulating this pandemic, in order to facilitate the emergence of healthy societies with rule of law and human rights protections. 

To The Development Partners We Ask: 

● That you exercise flexibility and understanding as the COVID-19 outbreak will necessitate reprioritisation and adjustments in programming and outreach activities by organisations. At this moment, we need funders and supporters to work together to ensure that the youth sector stays strong and resilient as we deal with current and future crises and uncertainties, including in the social, political and economic sphere. 

To Civil Society Organisations: 

Let’s be mindful of the need to support each other with messages of hope, resilience and solidarity in dealing with the potential negative outcomes for social cohesion, trust and civic struggles. Now more than ever we need to put in place measures that reduce the impact of the pandemic on groups rendered especially vulnerable by inequality, discrimination, disability and the absence of social security measures. 

To all the Young People in Uganda: 

What if we now carried this awareness beyond the present emergency? This is an urgent question because there is a great global economic depression looming beyond our country Uganda. Potentially, it can lead to more wars, increased authoritarianism and yet greater economic injustice. Or it can empower us to demand a much-needed transformation of a system in crisis. 

The current crisis is not as catastrophic as a world war. But its effects will be far-reaching, and the risk of an economic and geopolitical and economic collapse is real. 

We can, however, emerge at the end of this tunnel with the first vestiges of a new world. It is imperative that we remain vigilant and act together, drawing effectively on our reserves of innovation and resilience. The opportunity is there for us to seize, and we must start work on it now. At the very least, we now know we have the power to do so. 

Signed by: 

1. Youth4Uganda 

2. Open Space Centre 

3. Youth Line Forum 

4. Centre For Policy Analysis (CEPA) 

5. Faraja Africa Foundation 

6. Marafiki Milele 

7. Innovations for Democratic Engagement and Action (IDEA) 

8. The Alternative Movement 

9. East Africa Youth Network, Uganda Chapter 

10. West Nile Youth Network 

11. Uganda Youth Senate 

12. Uganda Debate Arena 

13. Youth Advocacy Network (YADNET) 

14. Agency for Development of Young Farmers in Uganda (ADYOFU) 

15. YouLead Alumni Network, Uganda Chapter 

16. Youth Forum for Social Justice 

17. Visionary Lady Foundation 

18. Recreation for Development and Peace (RDP) Uganda 

19. Africa Youth Federation 

20. The Uganda Young Democrats 

21. Uganda Parliamentary Forum on Youth Affairs 

22. Global Platform Uganda.