The spread of COVID-19 has challenged most African nations
It is the recommendation of the World Health Organisation and the African Union Centre for Disease Control and Prevention that, if you have any signs or symptoms you should immediately self-isolate. There is also an emphasis on social distancing and recommendations to #stayhome as a preventative measure from both organisations.
What does this mean in the life of a typical African, especially a young African? According to a study by the International Labor Organisation, nearly eight out of ten employed persons in Sub-Saharan Africa were in vulnerable forms of employment. Accordingly, the vulnerable employment rate was estimated at 76.6 per cent in 2014.
According to the same study, non-agricultural employment in the informal economy represents 66% of total employment in sub-Saharan Africa and 52% in North Africa. In a continent that is not at the cutting edge of telecommunications or wireless communications this often means that informal income activities rely on interpersonal interactions
It is in this context that the African Youth Networks Movement convened a meeting of youth networks in the SADC region to find ways to balance to gain a perspective on youth lives in COVID-19 and how best we can highlight their work and combined solutions.
