West Africans Copy ALS Ice Bucket Challenge to Spread Ebola Awareness
- Updated Aug 27, 2014
A campaign to educate people about how to avoid getting Ebola is following the example of the viral ice bucket challenge currently sweeping the nation. Ivory Coast’s “Lather Against Ebola” campaign includes dumping a bucket of soapy water instead of ice water on the heads of participants.
Under the hashtag “MousserConreEbola,” the challenge’s French name, participants douse themselves with the soapy water and then hand out three bottles of hand sanitizer. Those who decide not to dump the water over themselves are supposed to hand out nine bottles of hand sanitizer.
The campaign launched Aug. 18.
Ebola is spread through contact with bodily fluids and can be “partially contained” by regular hand-washing.
A few rap songs about the dangers of Ebola and awareness about the disease have also popped up. A Liberian soccer star has released “Ebola is Real,” and in Sierra Leone, a rapper unveiled “Ebola Does Not Discriminate.”
Thus far, the Ebola disease has infected more than 2,600 people and killed more than 1,400, according to the World Health Organization.
Publication date: August 27, 2014
