MEASLES RESPONSE TEAM: YOUTHS TAKING UP A LEADERSHIP ROLE

As the SVSG Measles Outreach continues with its door to door assistance for families and parents who have lost children to the measles, and those with infected children, the youth sub-group of SVSG, the SVSG (Junior) had taken up the leadership role as the Response Team for the Outreach.
 
Led by the SVSG Junior Executive and its youth members, the Response Team basically takes up the monitoring and evaluation role; re-visiting families covered by the Outreach and were assessed to have an identified need for education and awareness on maintaining general hygiene and healthy living.
 
Together with the assistance of the SVSG village representatives, our youths basically worked with our families to dispose of plastics around their homes, getting rid of materials that became breeding grounds for the mosquitoes, and even talking with the children on the importance of washing hands.  It’s the daily things that we overlook, yet, its vital to avoid the spread of the measles and other diseases.  This is our solution to the problem at hand without being judgemental about the affected families and their situations.
 
And the youths enjoyed being there to support our most affected families, even it is to clean up around their homes.  

For Tapuni Ioane Matautia of Faleula, who lost her 11 month old child to the measles, she was just overwhelmed by the sincerity of the youth’s willingness to help.  
 
“Seeing them happily went about their work around my home feels like they are part of the my family. I am just so greatful of these young people and their compassion to help others.” 
 
The Response Team is all part of the youths taking up a leadership role not only in responding to the measles outbreak, but most importantly, in building climate resilience measures within our families.
 
SVSG acknowledges its youth members from the St. Andrews Youth of the Catholic Church Faleula, the Assembly of God Youth of Satapuala, the Laulii youth, and the Salvation for Freedom Youth of Toamua.  “Thank you for being the enthusiastic and responsible youths during this difficult time.” SVSG President Siliniu Lina Chang