In April 2020, when COVID-19 reached South Sudan, many of RVI’s South Sudanese researchers decided to return to their hometowns to avoid what they believed would be a large outbreak in the country’s capital, Juba. Following discussions with friends and family, the researchers proposed that RVI work with them to conduct a programme of messaging and awareness-raising on COVID-19.1 These activities would draw on the strong network of chiefs established during the five years of RVI’s South Sudan Customary Authorities project. The customary authorities project, and the work on public health messaging around COVID-19, were both made possible by generous funding from the Swiss government.
In preparation, RVI staff liaised with Health Pooled Fund in South Sudan to obtain accurate information about the disease that could passed on to communities. This was translated into local languages by the Summer Institute of Languages. RVI researchers also supported translation efforts, for example by translating material into Lotuko and Dongotono—two languages spoken in Eastern Equatoria. Researchers were provided with the most up-to-date guidelines from WHO and coordinated their work with local actors to ensure their efforts were complemented by other stakeholders.
Work with chiefs and local medical professionals was focused on developing ways in which public health messages could be effectively communicated to communities. One way this was done was by organizing chiefs and medical professionals to appear on local radio stations. Chiefs also used traditional institutions, including their own courts, to amplify the public health messages, as well as speaking to people in the market, door-to-door or on boda bodas (motorbike taxis) with a loudspeaker. At the same time, the researchers distributed hand washing stations in selected locations. A summary of the work carried out in the seven different locations is below.