‘Ocean View Can’ is spreading the message of hope!

By Nomacebo Mbayo

After the president announced the possibility of a national lock down, a couple of community activists and neighbors from Ocean View decided to put their hands together and do something to save the community from the COVID-19 spread.

With just a box of pamphlets the community kick-started the campaign ‘Ocean View Can’, even though the people were not taking this lockdown seriously. Children were still  walking around and visiting each other’s homes. With dogs barking most of the night these activists suspected that people were still moving around. They decided to  educate the community reminding them about the seriousness of this pandemic. With a slogan “We can do this!”

“Day two of our educational campaign around covid-19, we received a donation of 8 bars of soap and extra pamphlets were printed” said Sharone Daniels, community activist.

Children were still naive about the effects of the virus but soon realized the dangers once educated and  engaged about the meaning of social distance and why it is important.

The access to information about COVID-19 also meant explaining to the children what a total lockdown really means. Understanding the high risk, people started to practice the quarantine and self isolation and kept a social distance.

Week two into the lockdown “Buffalo Road received 30 loaves of bread and 9 packets of muffins. It felt like the story of loaves of bread and fish, we are grateful for the donations” said Sharone wearing her hat as a faith leader this time around. 

With the importance of even poor underprivileged houses having access to essential goods the Emergency Voluntary Services Ocean View urge the communities to:

• First keep yourself safe
• Then the parcels being distributed should be sanitizing
• When handing over parcels remember the 2m rule as far as possible

Police visibility during the lockdown 

“The Army and Saps as well as LE have been visible in the area and have arrested people who were roaming around without a valid reason but releasing them on the same day. It happened to a neighbor. This helped with lessening movement” said Sharone in our conversation.  

Some of the methods community used in the scarcity of mask 

Made the mask with a square piece of cloth. Folded into a triangle, knotted the two corners and tied with rubber bands. Wash after one day of use and iron dry and you are ready to go!

This mask making initiative expanded with more community members getting involved in one way or another. More masks produced by Susan Vigis (seamstress) were distributed to the children and elderly in Buffalo Road.

Let’s limit our movements and stay home. We need to work hard at educating our neighbors.

Don’t stop educating.

Don’t stop washing your hands.

Stop touching your face.

Continue cleaning surfaces and keep basic hygiene standards.

Let’s stop the spread of the virus!