KAMPALA – Twaweza Uganda has partnered with popular comedy group, Fun Factory to release a song dubbed ‘Yambala Mask’ in an effort to create Covid -19 awareness and prevention among the general public.
Yambala Mask which is loosely translated as wear your mask, promotes messages about protecting yourself and your loved ones against the Coronavirus by keeping your mask on all the time, as it is one of the proven ways of preventing the spread of the virus.
The song talks about the advantages of wearing a mask during this pandemic and how to prevent the spread of the virus. It’s done in different languages like Luganda, Lusoga, Swahili, English, Acholi and Lunyankore and Lutoro.
Upon watching the demo clip of the video that has been making rounds on social media, many people thought it was one of their (Fun Factory) episodes of their weekly ‘Mizigo Express’ edition but when the video finally came out, the perception changed.
Hannington Bugingo, the director of the group said it was not a government project like most of the ones we have been seeing but it was their personal initiative although they received some facilitation from Twaweza to produce the song.
“This is like our Cooperate Social Responsibility. We had to come out and create awareness about this disease because the virus is killing people and many think it’s not real,” he said.
The song that was produced by Eli Arkhis features comedians; Richard Tuwangye, Bugingo Hannington, Isaac Kudzu, Dickson Zizinga, Simon Base Kalema, Tindi and Herbert Mendo.
Ms Martha Chemutai, the communications Officer of Twaweza said they came up with this idea to support government’s efforts in combating the deadly disease.
“In a campaign dubbed Together against COVID, we are supporting government efforts by translating critical public health messages from the Ministry of Health into music and comedy so the messages reach the general public and stick,” she said.
The song encourages everyone to wear a mask so as to prevent the spread of the virus and protect their loved ones while drawing attention to the seriousness of the virus and highlighting its symptoms.
