#AfricaCOVIDChampions Initiative Together We Fight *To be launched during the One By One Influencer Workshop March 30, 2021 | 5:00PM - 6:45 PM EAT / 9AM EST (TBC) One By One: Target COVID -19 Campaign Overview The One By One: Target COVID -19 Campaign was launched in April 2020 in collaboration with The African Union, Africa CDC and WHO AFRO. On March 30, 2021, the Africa CDC will launch the AfricaCOVIDChampions Initiative. Given the frightening speed with which the COVID pandemic has taken over the world, most people don’t understand the trajectory of the pandemic, nor how best to protect themselves, nor whether to trust the COVID vaccines which are about to be rolled out across Africa. Research shows that, on sensitive matters relating to their health, people listen to and trust people who are known to them. #AfricaCOVIDChampions The Africa CDC and the One By One: Target COVID campaign are inviting prominent African celebrities, artists, footballers, religious leaders, cultural leaders, distinguished health professionals, media personalities, journalists, radio hosts, business leaders, community leaders and influencers from all across society to join the fight against COVID. #AfricaCOVIDChampions will reflect the breadth and diversity of Africa - from north, south, east and west Africa - and from diverse artistic, media, religious traditions. Please join us The One By One Campaign and the Africa CDC invite you to join us to support Africa’s COVID-19 response by encouraging your audiences to follow important safety protocols. Commitment As “#AfricaCOVIDChampions,” will commit to using their social and traditional media platforms to promote safe COVID-19 prevention behaviors and to advocate for universal accessibility and uptake of vaccines. Amplification AfricaCOVIDChampions will amplify the voices of prominent health officials. Pairing local and national experts with celebrity influencers will increase the likelihood that people will follow important social protocols. Launch The #AfricaCOVIDChampions initiative will be launched at the Africa CDC Virtual Workshop for Influencers, Media Houses, and Journalists on 30 March 2021. All influencers are invited to attend the virtual workshop. The workshop will also feature a call to action by fellow Influencers including Heritier Wanabe, Mutale Mwanza, Joseph Kusaga, Anne Kansiime and many others. Additionally, the workshop will feature presentations by H.E. Jakaya Kikwete and by leaders of the Africa CDC and WHO AFRO. Communications Toolkit All Influencers will be provided an official Africa CDC and WHO approved Influencer Communication Toolkit. This toolkit will assist influencers to meet the challenge of communicating about COVID-19. All content will be created to accommodate major platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Radio, and TV platforms. The toolkit will be updated on a monthly basis to reflect new content reflecting the current COVID-19 science. Criteria Influencers will be invited to serve as #AfricaCOVIDChampions because of their strong profile in their own communities and/or because of their national and regional reputations on digital platforms. Recognition All influencers that step up to be #AfricaCOVIDChampions will be recognized for their efforts by the Africa CDC. ● All of participating influencers will be formally designated: #AfricaCOVIDChampions. ● All participating Influencers will receive a formal Certificate of successful completion of COVID-19 training. ● All #AfricaCOVIDChampions will be featured on the official Africa CDC website on a dedicated #AfricaCOVIDChampions page, as well as on all official Africa CDC public facing platforms. ● Top engaged influencers from each category (music, sports, media, etc.) will be invited to the African Union Summit (2022 TBC) to be recognized as helping to save African lives during the COVID-19 Pandemic and to receive a special token of appreciation. ● All #AfricaCOVIDChampions will receive a social media badge to display on all social media platforms. Social Media Badge: We hope you will join us at this critical time and stand with the Africa CDC in our collective mission to provide life-saving information about COVID-19 to Africans across the continent. Please reach out to Cordelia Kwon at [email protected] for more information on how to get involved with the #AfricaCOVIDChampions Initiative.
