Covid 19 is a bad disease. It started from the big cities and it came to Kapoeta. You cannot greet your friend, father, mother, sister or brother. It causes people not to be together, not to eat together. Covid 19 affects people’s lives. Now people wear masks and people wash their hands regularly with soap and water. It makes people not to touch their eyes, mouth and nose.
It affects us learners, We are not in school which is bad. We are now at home without any learning and it is difficult for us to learn at home. Because at home we have a lot of work to do. I do not know what to do with this covid 19 since it makes people not to be together not to work together. People are not now going to Kenya and Uganda to bring some food, clothes and other items that are needed here. We are not moving from country to country, everyone has to remain in their own country.
Joyce Nakwaar, primary 7 girl in St. Mary Magdalen, Riwoto
Covid 19 is a dangerous disease, It has affected many people in the world. This disease started in China. Many people lost their lives there. It has now spread throughout the whole world and has now come to South Sudan and neighbouring countries. This disease has badly affected learners who have lost their studies until the schools reopen again. There is now no shaking of hands, no grouping. It can be prevented by washing our hands regularly and covering our mouths and nose with cloth. The symptoms are as follows, fever, dry cough, high temperature, sneezing, difficulty in breathing. The most important thing now is to trust in God.
Samuel Cheche, primary 8 boy in St. Mary Magdalen, Riwoto
Covid 19 affects many people in Africa. People are to cover their mouth and nose. People are to stop moving up and down so that covid 19 is not spread. Covid 19 is the reason why there is no school now. It is a very bad disease, People are dying. People are now using tippy taps to wash their hands with soap and water. In Kapoeta people are not going to Church, People in Juba are dying because of Covid 19.
Rachel Ngoya, st 6 girl in St. Mary Magdalen, Riwoto
Covid 19 is a disease which started in 2019 and it has brought a lot of affects. Due to Covid 19, most places of work, schools, churches have been closed. One of the effects of Covid 19 is loss of life, that is why schools were closed in order to stop the spread of the disease.
Since the schools were closed, most of the learners have not been taking their studies very seriously, due to lack of time and exposure to heavy work throughout the day. Most of the learners also have to spend their time in doing and carrying out some small activities to survive. Covid 19 has caused most of the learners to lose their hope in studies because some of them have lost their supporters. For those learners who are poor or orphans they are working hard to get some things like lamps for reading. Learners who are in form four or standard 8 who wish to go to the next level, are paying no attention to studies any more. Some of the learners, especially the girls, are thinking of getting married before they die.
The learners are praying to God and asking the Government and all the supporting groups to do something on Covid 19 in order for learners to return to school soon.
Esther Natalia, a form 4 girl in Bakhita GSS, Narus whose home is in Riwoto
The advent of the Corona Global pandemic brought a lot of things to a stand still. There is fear, anxiety and uncertainty everywhere. This is because the pandemic affects every aspect of humanity. The question on the lips of our students always is “Fr. When will this be over so that we can return to school? We are tired of staying at home, there is hunger and insecurity.” This clearly shows that the children are more safe and secure in the school than in their respective villages. This is a situation beyond human understanding. But there is nothing anyone can do at the moment to help the situation at hand. We place our trust and hope in God watching and waiting for better days. It is our sincere hope and prayer that God will protect the school children wherever they are and that normality will return soon.
Fr. Gideon Goma, a committee member in St. Mary Magdalen parish, Riwoto
Poem My sisters, my brothers, Stop staying together, Stop shaking hands, Stop spitting in public, Because of Covid 19, It is a bad disease, Killing people like hens. OH, OH, OH my God! What can I do to save my country South Sudan? What can I do to avoid getting this disease? What can I tell my people to stop gathering together? What I can tell is advice. My people, please please, I am pleading you to stop shaking hands, Covid 19 is a killer, It can kill without notice from anybody, All people will fear you because of Covid 19. Covid 19 can make people to become enemies, If it is your sister or brother you will not greet him or her just because of Covid 19. You are supposed to wash your hands regularly or after you have touched anything. You have to put a tippy tap in your home because anyone who enters into your home must wash their hands before they come to where you are. Covid, Covid, Covid 19, Who told you to come here? Who sent you to us? Or did you come by yourself? What have we done to you? Why are you doing this to us? by Dorcas Nakai, an st 7 girl in St. Mary Magdalen, Riwoto
Corona virus is a new disease which has affected the world at large. It is a new disease because the word Corona is not even in our mother tongue. The disease kills rich, poor, weak and strong all alike. Actually the disease has made the whole world to be in confusion and all things are at a stand still.
The country is affected economically, socially, spiritually and developmentally. In the education sector, since the closing of the schools, children are roaming everywhere, in towns, and villages in search of their survival. This puts them at risk of being exploited and abused by adults for school is a safe place for them.
Young girls are at risk of getting early pregnancy, early marriage because they can be deceived by their boyfriends or even adult men who may be already married. Parents may also feel their daughters will die early, hence forcing them to early marriage because they would want to get a dowry for their daughter.
Children are not happy since Covid 19 has emerged. It has separated them from their way of being, like playing games and sports, hand shaking, sharing meals together, which is the joy of the African child. The Pandemic disease emerged in 2019 and the condition is worsening, the disease is spreading and every day more and more people are infected. We fear now whether all the children will return to school when the time comes for schools to reopen.
Despite all the measures that are being taken, only God can save. God may you bring Corona Virus to an end.
Pauline Adung, Committee member in St. Mary Magdalen parish, Riwoto
The effects of Covid 19 has made people to lose their jobs, St 8 candidates will miss doing PLE (primary leaving examination) this year. The disease is very dangerous, You cannot prevent it unless you stay at home. This disease makes people to be afraid because it spreads so easily. The people from the urban areas when they move to the villages bring the disease with them. People can no longer gather together and it can make people selfish. People stay at home alone. There is no football or volleyball or other sports being played. People no longer greet each other. The signs and symptoms of the disease are difficulty in breathing, fever, sneezing, coughing.
Johnson Lokuruka, st 8 boy in St. Mary Magdalen, Riwoto
The deadliness of the corona virus can be gauged by the following questions: “How many people are dying?” and the other question is “What is the risk of dying if one contracts the disease?” The experts have not been able to answer these questions. With the infection rate rising and also the death rate rising, the Covid 19 disease has gone world wide. The biggest challenge is that the virus is still present in the /world and nobody can predict how many people will die or will be infected in time.
Covid 19 has changed everything causing fear and distortions among young and old. Institutions of learning have been closed down, Domestic family violence has increased. It has affected education which is the hope for children for a better future.
Measures have been put in place to lessen the deadly effect of the virus. We should all adhere to these measures outlined by the World Health Organization by observing the following, washing our hands regularly with soap and water(there is a method of washing our hands safely with the tippy tap), maintain social distancing and wear a mask.
Sr. Immaculate, secretary of Child Protection Programme, in St. Mary Magdalen parish, Riwoto
Covid19 is a disease that affects people. It affects the lungs of a person. It has brought confusion to the world. Everyone is now suffering because of Covid 19. What a very deadly disease! Many children are now suffering especially orphans. Covid 19 has really slowed down the country because it is really affecting the ministries and the life of the country.
In order to be safe from Covid 19 we must clean at all times. Wash your hands with water and soap using a tippy tap, cover your nose and mouth with a clean hankerchief. Don’t spit in public, when sneezing sneeze into your flexed elbow, don’t touch surfaces, don’t greet with a naked hand. When greeting, just wave your hand and say HI. Don’t touch your eyes, nose, mouth and face, don’t go to the places where many people are.
I don’t know what brought you, Corona Virus, to this world of ours, why don’t you go to your place alone? Why did you come to disturb us in our place? Why did you come by yourself? Why come with the air?
Covid 19 has affected learners in many ways such as dropping from school. Everyone is now relaxing in their homes just because of Covid19. In order to be safe from Covid 19 we must use body protections.
Jackline Namana, st 8 girl in St. Mary Magdalen, Riwoto
Covid 19 is a disease which has affected all the nations in the world. Many countries in the world are suffering because of Covid 19. It can spread in an easy way. By coughing, sneezing, shaking hands with an infected person with Corona.
How should we, pupils, manage to protect ourselves from Covid 19? It is the work of the Government to stop the means of transport from one place to another. Maybe in a car/plane, one person is infected with corona. Once he/she sneezes or coughs, he/she will spread the disease in that same car/plane. There should be no movement of people in one car. People should wear face masks to cover their mouths and nose.
When this disease started it was unknown because it was new to the people. It started in China and killed a number of people there. It then spread to Africa. So for us, as Africans, we should stop the spread of the disease. We should wash our hands at all times, we should use tippy taps, we should not touch or mouths, nose or eyes because of infection of Covid 19. We should not allow one thing to frighten us, we, as Africans, should stand firm in our nation to stop the spread of covid 19. We should pray to God to help us and heal our world.
Elizabeth Natalia, st 7 pupil in St. Mary Magdalen, Riwoto
Covid 19 is a dangerous disease and has killed many people. We are so scared to hear of this dangerous disease. We are so sad to miss our people who have died because of corona virus. Today many of our people are sick with corona virus and they are suffering now. Some are leaving their children lonely. Their children are now suffering because of Corona Virus.
If you have the following symptoms cough, fever, headache, sneezing, body pain/body ache, difficulty in breathing please report to the nearby facility or call 6666 and you will be helped. Don’t spread to other people. Stay away from the family of other people. If you get a crowd of people don’t go and join them. Maybe some have corona virus. Don’t make stories with a large number of people. Stay safe!
As we are thinking about this disease, let us pray to God to help us of this disease.
It has affected the learners because many people have forgotten to read and write especially the young children. Maybe some of us are remembering something small in our minds. Even we have missed the exams. It has affected us badly. Some of us have forgotten about school. No one is remembering school or revising. All students are thinking about Covid 19, how dangerous it is.
Mary Philip, an st 8 pupil in St. Mary Magdalen, Riwoto
A person who has Covid 19 has the following symptoms fever, headache, cough, sneezing, body pain. If you have the following we say you have Covid 19. From there your body will become weak, you will not be able to walk. That is what I have learnt from Covid 19. Avoid being close to infected person. Be at home all the time every day.
Nancy Lowiita, st 7 pupil in St. Mary Magdalen, Riwoto
Actually Corona Virus is a disease caused by a virus which began in China in December 2019. Covid 19 has had many affects world wide especially for learners. Why I am saying so is that schools have been closed from March up to now and we don’t know when they will reopen. Corona virus has left the learners to move anyhow without knowing what to do at certain times. It has also made learners not to read their books as usual.
It has made me individually bothered since the closing of the schools and even the holidays is now too much. I don’t know when this Covid 19 end so that I can return to school. Due to Covid 19, I don’t think all the learners will go back safely to their various schools. It is not good totally. School can sometimes keep learners safe from harmful activities of which I cannot mention them here.
Not forgetting Churches where people normally go and pray. Now the Churches have been closed. People are not going to the Church and it is all because of Covid 19.
Maxson Chelenyang, Form 2 pupil in St. Patricks SS Nadapal, from Riwoto parish
Corona is a bad disease, It can kill people, Many people have died because of Corona. We must be careful. We must wash our hands all the time. We must have tippy taps in our homes. We must be clean all the time. We need to be far from people who are coughing and sneezing. We must not sit in groups because of the disease. It can move from person to person. All the countries roads have been closed because of corona. There is no prevention. In all countries many people are suffering from Corona. We must be careful Covid 19 has made us run from our schools. We fear because it will kill us. On radio we hear that Covid 19 has killed many people in the world. That is why we ran from our schools.
Josephine Bakhita, st 6 pupil in St. Mary Magdalen, Riwoto
African Child I am an African Child, Born with right to life, With dark beautiful skin colour, And I am happy to be an African Child. I am an African Child With right to education, But our enemy Corona Virus Covid 19, Has made me miss my chance, OH God! Why? Why? Why all this? I am an African Child, With talents enough to be the best, As a doctor, nurse, teacher and leader, But Corona Virus Covid 19 Has taken away my opportunity. I am an African Child, But Corona Virus Covid 19, You came to make me suffer, Tortured for forced marriage, rape, beating And child labour is the story of the Day. Oh God, I eat food once in a day, But I am forced to work with an empty stomach. I am an African Child, I miss my beautiful life in the school and in the class, In the morning breakfast in school will never miss, And lunch on time every day. I am an African Child, With healthy and strong body, But our enemy, Corona Virus, Covid 19, Has brought fever, dry cough, tiredness, And difficulty in breathing and no Medicine, No treatment. I am a stranger to my own body, No touching eyes, nose, ears and mouth, Because of you Corona Virus, Covid 19 To my brothers and sisters social distance, To my parents the same story. Oh what a life? Why? Why? Why all these differences. I am an African Child, But you Corona Virus, Covid 19 You have made me become a frog Every twenty minutes drinking water, And washing hands with soap and water. What a disease dangerous as you are!!! Corona Virus Covid 19 You have made me become a surgeon, a doctor before time, With mask all the time And Gloves for fear of YOU I am an African child, In every home today, the watchman employed at gate is tippy tap, The story is wash your hands, Where can I go or run? In the school the same story Wash Wash Wash your hands. I am an African child, But Corona Virus, Covid 19, You have come to destroy the world, Business people are like lions hunting for money, An empty jerrican is very important for me to make tippy tap, In order to fight for my life, Oh the same with soap but very expensive now. Corona Virus, Covid 19 No respect for young or old, Surgeons or Doctors. Educated or non Educated, Nurses or Teachers. Leaders or Subjects All of them Die Why! Why! Why! Oh God by Sr Mary, committee member of St. Mary Magdalen safeguarding committee, Riwoto