UGC’s ‘Youth Warrior Movement’ to combat pandemic

The commission had appealed to all vice-chancellors and principals of all higher educational institutions to encourage students and teachers between the ages of 18 and 30 years to join the movement to safeguard themselves, their families, communities.

“They can also encourage and engage younger peers of students and teachers to participate in the Young Warrior Movement. There are essentially five tasks that are part of the movement and they will be eligible for a UNICEF certificate on completion of tasks,” the Commission said.

The task includes ‘Vaccine Buddy’, to promote vaccination, understand registration process, and do’s and don’ts after vaccination; ‘Stress Buster’, which encourages talking to an expert about mental health, promotes checking up on friends and family and focus on positive news; ‘Fake News Police’ to understand misinformation related to COVID-19 and how to stop its spread; ‘Care Giver’ to capacitate caregiving at home (including nutrition and COVID-appropriate behaviour), proning, watching out for danger signs and hospitalisation; and finally, ‘CAB influencer’ to promote youth-led to amplify and influence COVID-19-appropriate behaviours of social distancing, masking and sanitising across their neighbourhoods and communities.

The interested youth may join by sending YWA to 9650414141 over WhatsApp, or send a missed call to 0-8066019225. They may also join using Facebook and Telegram, the letter added.

UGC, along with UNICEF- Yuwaah and partners, also propose to organise multiple online capacity building sessions in June and July on topics related to COVID-appropriate behaviour, vaccine hesitancy, home care prevention, reliable, and verified information and knowledge. These sessions would also support young people to become ambassadors of change within their family and communities.