COVID-19

Melokuhle loves to play with her six-month-old baby sister Thandi. She is the smiling happy star of the family, made up of a grandmother, her two daughters and their four children. The COVID-19 pandemic has hit their community of Hazyview in Mpumalanga province, north-eastern South Africa hard, and Thandi’s mother and her sisters are struggling to…, Putting children at the heart of data collection, In answering the question of Thandi’s future and responding to her needs and those of millions of children like her, reliable and current information is a crucial part of UNICEF’s efforts in South Africa to ensure that services reach those who need them the most. A real-time monitoring and tracking tool (RTMT) – providing an immediate and accurate…

Clementine holding her baby Clementine “Motherhood is the best thing I’ve experienced in my life. It makes me care about everyone and everything around me. After having a baby, I can’t even kill a fly!” Clementine*, 27, became a mom during the global COVID-19 pandemic, and what a journey it’s been. Her son, Lelo Matthew, was born in a busy…

This World Immunization Week, join UNICEF to show #VaccinesWork. For every like, share or comment on posts mentioning @UNICEF and using the hashtag #VaccinesWork between 23-30 April 2021, UNICEF partners will unlock US$1 for our life-saving vaccine programmes up to US$5 million.   Vaccines help to keep families and communities safe We have an…, Be part of this and donate now!

PRETORIA, 26 April 2021 – The drop in routine immunization coverage among children under five years of age, over the past 13-months, could lead to a resurgence of vaccine preventable childhood diseases, as community vaccination coverage is compromised. The latest National Department of Health data, from 12 priority districts* over a period of…

Join the #TippyTapChallenge , help us fight COVID-19 and earn airtime, groceries and electricity with Zlto Rewards, Use our UNICEF’s Tippy Tap Challenge - Field demonstration guide detailed field demonstration guide or watch the “How To Build A Tippy Tap” video below to construct your own Tippy Tap – an inexpensive, water-wise and easy-to-build DIY handwashing solution with soap. All you need is some string, wooden poles, a nail, a plastic bottle or water…, Earn Zlto rewards while saving lives, UNICEF has partnered with  Zlto  to ensure that for every Tippy Tap built, young people earn digital rewards which can be redeemed for groceries, electricity and airtime vouchers. Zlto also validates and stores each Tippy Tap built as a “work asset”, which is recorded as experience on the app and can be used when applying for a job. Map-tippy-taps…, Read more about the TippyTap Challenge, The #TippyTapChallenge is a people-powered campaign led by young people to build ‘Tippy Taps’ – an inexpensive, water-wise and easy-to-build DIY handwashing solution with soap. Using little more than a plastic bottle, string, sticks and soap, a Tippy Tap can be easily constructed, providing access to clean handwashing in homes, schools and…, Join the #TippyTapChallenge now!, UNICEF is working with World Vision to engage faith and community leaders to run Tippy Tap activations in communities with limited access to water and soap, as well as with the Children’s Radio Foundation to promote the Tippy Tap Challenge among its listeners nationwide. The challenge is in line with UNICEF’s broader water and sanitation response…, #TippyTapChallenge, https://twitter.com/UNICEF_SA/status/1351537491887665156 Children making a difference during the #COVID19 crisis... Meet Thobeka-A Handwashing HERO from #LimekhayaSecondarySchool who joined the @UNICEF_SA #TippyTapChallenge to curb the spread of the #Corornavirus & stop resurgence by building #HandwashingStations . #WorldChildrensDay pic.…

PRETORIA, 22 March 2021 – As the nation works to stop a resurgence in COVID-19 infections, UNICEF South Africa and partners relaunched the #TippyTapChallenge on World Water Day to improve access to handwashing facilities and to reiterate the importance of handwashing with soap. With an estimated 2 million households in South Africa not having…

The Covid-19 pandemic, and the ongoing measures to contain it, have revealed a stark divide between those who have access to adequate, nutritious, affordable diets and essential nutrition services and those who do not. Launched last week, the 2020 South African Child Gauge, focusing on nutrition and food security, reminds us that despite South…

South Africa is the country worst affected by COVID-19 on the African continent. To bring home the devastating affect COVID-19 is having on people’s lives, UNICEF has embarked on a project to record and share the brave stories of young and old across the country. These stories, captured in short videos, are a stark reminder of the grave danger…, Let's Stop COVID-19 | Bloemfontein, “ I realised that this thing is real when it took my husband’s life ” Mama Mahlangeni, Bloemfontein  , Let's Stop COVID-19 | Nelson Mandela Bay, “ My friend, she got sick and then I couldn’t play with her - I was afraid ” Neishay, from Despatch, talks about her experience of COVID-19.  , Let's Stop COVID-19 | Northern Cape, “Whether you are rich, whether you are poor, whether you are fit, whether you are not – I so wish that everyone out there, they take this virus seriously”  Dumelo Notsiki, Kimberley.   Watch more UNICEF South Africa videos here . Download the Let's stop COVID-19 videos here .

#TheTruck   The Truck is a multi-media messenger on wheels traveling South Africa and broadcasting local stories about how COVID-19 has affected people’s lives. Accompanied by trained community engagement teams, the joint effort is a vital communication intervention creating awareness about COVID-19 prevention methods while combatting…

The wheels of the UNICEF South Africa truck are going round and round. This exciting ‘on-the-road’ and on-the-ground initiative is thanks to valued partnerships with Afrittude Communications, Red Cross, World Vision, and the Department of Health RCCE Technical Working group. Its aim? To counteract the spread of COVID-19 misinformation by creating…, The backstory, As the COVID-19 second wave swept across South Africa, impacting local communities, our team at UNICEF South Africa realised we needed to up our interventions in high risk and vulnerable communities across all 9 provinces. lets-stop-covid-19-truck But how do you do that at a local level and reach communities effectively and engage personally,…, The itinerary, The routes for #TheTruck are planned by the provincial and district Departments of Health to access hotspot areas and communities that are high risk. The plan involves spending 5 days per province and 1 day in each district. lets-stop-covid-19-truck Phase 1 of the truck’s road trip was planned from 8 December 2020 to 8 January 2021 and included…, The messaging,  #TheTruck campaign combines a variety of multimedia messaging formats and relevant content: Original short videos have been created for each province with local people telling their relatable stories of their personal COVID-19 experiences in their own language, with English subtitles and a sign language interpreter. Key prevention messages are…, The result, As the truck rolls into cities, towns and villages, it has been curiously and warmly received by communities. The notable impact of the truck’s presence has been recognised by provincial and local partners who have requested on-going collaboration with UNICEF in disseminating and sustaining key public health messages. "When we originally…, UNICEF South Africa, AS COVID-19 highlights the economic and social crisis we are facing, UNICEF South Africa is grateful for the public support, donations and pledges that sustain our on-the-ground initiatives for every child. UNICEF South Africa remains proactive in the face of COVID-19 and its continued impact on children, households and communities across South…, Become a donor Become a UNICEF Hero by making a donation today

2021’s welcome has been rather subdued without the traditional festive fanfare and happy celebrations that normally accompany the calendar change. Sadness, caution, negativity, insecurity and anxiety are common sentiments as COVID-19 continues to tragically impact homes, hospitals, schools and businesses. In these trying times, UNICEF South Africa…, Resolve #1 - To ensure that children are healthy & well-nourished:, In 2020, this was the focus of our #EveryChildAlive and #Move4Change campaign.  Looking forward in 2021, this will mean facilitating continued access to key child health and nutrition services – including routine immunisation, fighting against the spread of misinformation and equal and affordable access to COVID-19 diagnostics and vaccines., Resolve #2 - To reach vulnerable children with safe water & improve hand hygiene:, In 2020, our #LittleHandsMatter campaign set out to address the lack of running water in under-resourced communities and schools, and it grew to challenging and empowering our young people with the #TippyTap Challenge; to design a cheap, creative and easy-to-build DIY hand washing solution in their community. building-tippy-taps Looking forward in…, Resolve #3 - To support families to cover their needs:, In 2020, our #BucketsOfCare campaign was on a mission to assemble and deliver hygiene and nutritious care packages to 10 000 vulnerable families through our partnership with World Vision South Africa.  Looking forward in 2021, this will mean the continued expansion of social protection, including relevant COVID-relief grants as well as a…, Resolve #4 - To keep children learning:, In 2020, we ended off the year with #WRITE4CHANGE - a timely opportunity for children to share their voices through poetry on what a better future for all will look like, and for donors and partners to invest in keeping children in school. care-giver-and-young-girl-playing Looking forward in 2021, the focus will be on reducing the digital divide…, Resolve #5 - To protect children from violence, exploitation & abuse:, UNICEF South Africa’s vision and proactive initiatives and solutions to end the scourge of violence against women and children in our country remain an ongoing priority. The success of this will be dependent on intensifying our social interventions in early childcare services, in educating and empowering our youth, and by investing in gender-…, Resolve #6 - To redouble efforts to protect children & their families on the move: , The plight of families fleeing their homes and seeking refuge in South Africa poses many challenges. Looking forward in 2021, UNICEF South Africa will work towards advocating for the inclusion of children on the move, starting with COVID-19 recovery and response efforts and focusing on specific donor support for these vulnerable children and their…, UNICEF South Africa, “Our results confirm that when communities, researchers and policymakers work together to strengthen and support families, both children and adults benefit” - Centre for Social Development in Africa (CSDA) Director, Prof. Leila Patel, outlines her recent research - supported by UNICEF South Africa - on the benefits of combining cash transfers with…

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the lives of children and their families as health systems buckle, borders close, and schools and businesses shutter.   As the coronavirus has spread, so has misinformation – fueling discrimination and stigma. UNICEF is working with health experts to promote facts over fear, bringing trustworthy guidance to …, Useful links, COVID-19 Online Resources & News portal  (NDP and Department of Health) Government o f South Africa - Novel Coronavirus / COVID-19 National Institute for Communicable diseases (NICD) National Department of Education - Coronavirus (COVID-19)   Regional and global links UNICEF - Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)  -  What you need to know about the…