ZMQ is using its YourStoryTeller (YST) – and re-adapting it for COVID-19 response. YTS is a mobile channel to design, develop and disseminate digital stories on critical social issues like HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Polio, Malaria, WASH, SRHR, Maternal & Child Health, Childhood Pneumonia, Water and Climate Change. YST is producing series of digital stories. They are divided into two categories. 1st category of stories is based on COVID-19 awareness generation, protection, prevention, myths, discrimination & stigma, diagnosis and treatment. 2nd category of stories are based on the impact on last-mile communities- poor, slum-dwellers, migrants, refugees and under-privileged living in low and middle income countries. For years, they have been socially excluded by systems – healthcare, livelihood opportunities, social justice etc. How would they wash hands if they don’t have running water or soap? How would they able to maintain social distancing? How would the refugees be stopped to cross borders and flee atrocities of war? We are already witnessing mass exodus of migrant workers in India, Kenya and Uganda to their far flung villages. Hunger poses a bigger threat to them than Corona.

YST has over 150 digital stories with over 1 million subscriber sand 80 million views. We are developing customized stories for last-mile communities on COVID-19 to understand their problems and create user friendly solutions for them. Our stories are focused on symptoms, basic prevention like hand washing, use of soaps, & maintaining basic hygiene but also focuses on hoarding of goods, creating user-friendly innovative ways and solutions for vulnerable communities on social distancing, lock down, mass migration, loosing employment, rights, hunger, empathy, violence against women, stigma, discrimination etc.