From Awareness to Action: Protais’s journey in strengthening community resilience to mpox
How one Red Cross volunteer helps turn knowledge into protection in Rwanda’s mpox response.
When mpox cases started emerging in Rwanda in July 2024, Protais Kuradusenge, a 42-year-old father of three, and long-serving Rwanda Red Cross Volunteer, stepped forward to support the national response in Musanze District. Known for his calm leadership and ability to connect with young people, he became a trusted bridge between communities, the Red Cross, and UNICEF Rwanda.
As part of the national mpox response coordination, UNICEF’s Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) section leads the Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) pillar under the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), the implementing department under MoH. UNICEF also supports Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) and the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) pillars, ensuring communities have both accurate information and the tools needed for prevention. In Musanze and other high-risk districts, UNICEF provides training materials, hygiene kits, and visual communication tools such as posters, leaflets, and booklets that Protais and other volunteers use in their outreach sessions.
Community Engagement
Protais provides mentorship to frontline functionaries (FLFs) and organizes training, ensuring the FLFs receive practical training in RCCE and community mobilization. This training is made possible through UNICEF’s technical and logistical support. Through these efforts, he strengthens awareness and inspires behaviour change to prevent the spread of mpox. Whenever Protais heads into the field, he wears his neatly pressed Red Cross uniform, the emblem of his dedication to serving others. In his bag are the UNICEF and RBC branded mpox communication materials that help him explain key messages during community sessions. He enjoys exploring these visuals with youth clubs, explaining how peer-to-peer communication makes mpox messages more relatable. His approach blends empathy and practicality, making him a trusted voice among young people and parents alike.
“I take my role as a volunteer seriously,” Protais says. “Protecting families from disease is part of protecting their future.”
Youth Outreach
As a father and community mobilizer, he understands the challenge of reaching adolescents, whose low-risk perception and peer influence often shape their decisions. Determined to bridge that gap, he organizes dialogues in schools and youth centers to teach what mpox is, how it spreads, and how small preventive actions can protect households. UNICEF’s ongoing support, through radio messages, hygiene demonstrations, and provision of handwashing stations, helps reinforce these lessons at the community level.
A day in the life of a volunteer
A typical day during the mpox response reflects Protais’s balance of family life and service. He starts early with household chores and breakfast with his children before meeting fellow volunteers and trained community functionaries. Together, they plan visits to communities, schools, and markets. Sometimes he joins youth sports activities or cultural gatherings, using these as entry points for discussions on hygiene and prevention.
“When you meet young people where they are, they listen, not because you are an expert, but because they identify with you and count you as one of their own ,” says Protais.
Challenges and Coordination
One of Protais’s toughest moments came during early community sessions when misinformation spread faster than facts. Some residents dismissed his messages, saying mpox is “a city disease” that could never reach their villages. Others questioned why the Red Cross is talking about a disease they have not yet seen. “It’s discouraging,” Protais admits. “You stand in front of people you have served for years, and suddenly they doubt you.” He learns to listen first, then explains using local examples and relatable stories. Over time, trust grows. “The real challenge,” he reflects, “is not teaching people what mpox is but helping them believe that prevention begins before the first case appears.” Protais emphasizes how essential the training provided by UNICEF and RBC is for volunteers and community leaders, including frontline functionaries. “Trainings should not happen once and stop,” he notes. “They need to continue so we stay ready for whatever comes next.” He commends the coordination meetings and joint planning sessions, where UNICEF, RBC, the Red Cross, and local authorities review data, identify misinformation trends, and agree on tailored communication actions, as critical for keeping the response consistent across districts.
Reducing Stigma
He also works to reduce stigma surrounding mpox, especially when misinformation links it unfairly to sexual activity. Some community members begin to shun affected families. With empathy and patience, Protais leads open conversations that emphasize facts and compassion. “We teach that diseases don’t choose people; our response should be unity, not blame,” he says.
Results
Thanks to his efforts, and the coordinated response supported by UNICEF, young people in Musanze adopt key protective behaviors, embrace vaccination, and use the hygiene facilities and handwashing kits distributed through the mpox campaign.
Through the joint efforts of UNICEF, the Rwanda Red Cross, and community volunteers like Protais, mpox awareness message reached over 5 million people across the country, and communities reported remarkable progress in preventive behaviors. With, 93 per cent of people having increased handwashing and said they would seek medical care if symptomatic, while 81 per cent expressed readiness to self-isolate and 79 per cent reported avoiding contact with symptomatic individuals; clear signs that awareness has translated into action.
Reflection
Looking back, Protais feels proud of what they have achieved together. “The real strength of this response is not in posters or megaphones,” he says. “It’s in conversations, neighbors talking to neighbors, friends correcting false rumors, and youth reminding each other to stay safe.” For Protais, volunteering during the mpox response changes how he views community service. “It teaches me that every small action counts,” he reflects. “When people see you care, they start to care too. That is how protection starts, one act of care at a time.”
