Ebola survivors in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, the three west African countries worst hit by the epidemic will share their stories through a mobile app to be launched today.
The campaign is backed by UNICEF to inform and fight stigma around the disease. The campaign, called #ISurvivedEbola, is funded by US philanthropist and co-founder of Microsoft, Paul G Allen’s foundation which has committed $100m to fight the disease.
According to Health Organisations, the stigma and rejection following Ebola survivors impedes success and causes victims of the disease to hide themselves, further spreading the disease.
Survivors in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia will be given smartphones and will document their stories and exchange tips on how to cope with it for a mobile app which will be available to the public, the backers said in a statement.
“While treatment of Ebola patients is critical, the best way to end the Ebola outbreak in west Africa is to cut the chain of transmission and prevent further infections,” Rafael Obregon of Unicef said in the statement.
“#ISurvivedEbola is reinforcing our efforts by providing this information in multiple, highly entertaining forms, including through the testimonies of actual survivors,” Obregon said.
Survivors who have agreed to contribute include Camara “Fanta” Fantaoulen in Guinea who lost six members of her family to Ebola, and Decontee Davis, a 23-year-old from Liberia who overcame Ebola but lost her fiancé.
