On Friday the 10th of September 2021, Her Innovation Cameroon (HIC) organized a workshop in partnership with Global Youth Mobilization (GYM) on the theme “Demystifying the Myths and Skepticisms about Covid-19 and its Vaccines”. It targeted youths from the ages of 18 to 45 youths from the “Anglophone Crisis” affected environs of Mile 16, Ekona, Bomaka and even Molyko in the South West Region of Cameroon.The workshop began at 9:30am with registration of participants which lasted about 45 minutes. After which there was an introductory/ welcome word from the founder of HIC Ms. Futih Laura Nge about what Her Innovation Cameroon with regards to its Mission, Vision and the justification of this workshop.
This workshop was coordinated by Mr. Ayamba O. who gave a rundown of the program and introduced the first speaker. The first speaker was medial practitioner Dr. Bill Mbianyor who enlightened Participants on what Vaccines are, why it is important to get vaccinated against Covid-19, the chemical components of the vaccine, who should get vaccinated, the benefits of the Covid-19 vaccine and the side effects of the vaccine. The session was a very interactive one with participants voicing out the worries/concerns they had about the vaccine based on the myths and conspiracy theories they had heard surrounding the reasons for the introduction of the covid-19 vaccine. Majority of these participants believed that the Covid 19 vaccine can cause infertility and in some extreme cases death.
Dr Mbianyor replied to these questions by listing names of vaccines that are made with similar technologies like that of the Covid-19 vaccine. Hence, they should not be any call for panic. A participant asked why there hasn’t been any vaccine for HIV/AIDS which has been in existent for more than a decade whereas it was so easy and fast to come up with that of Covid 19. Dr Bill replied by saying that the HIV and Aids has different variant from person to person. Thus, it is very challenging to have a particular vaccine for the HIV/AIDS virus. His session took an hour and thirty minutes. With almost all participants resolving to take the vaccine and equally pass on the knowledge they had learnt.
After the session with the Dr. Mbianyor, light exercises were carried out to relax and put the participants at ease. Then the second speaker was introduced. The second speaker was Ms. Fomenky Christina who presented a 30-minute spoken word poetry about the Myths of Covid-19 and reason these myths should be demystified. Most if not all the participants were awed with her presentation coupled with how she bumped truth right to our faces. Truth about being enslaved by the Western world through this vaccine was demystified.
Following Ms. Fomenky’s presentation, an open call was made to participants to pen down suggestions and recommendations of what can be done better to sensitize communities about the Covid-19 pandemic and equally demystify the myths surrounding the Vaccine.
The workshop ended at 1pm with a closing remark from Eyabi Antoinette, disbursement of transportation to participants, group photos and light refreshments. HIC had over 50 people in attendance who left very enlightened and requesting more of similar workshops.