ENPHO and Small Earth Nepal (SEN); the consortium partners of COVID-19 Rapid Action Taskforce (C19 RAT) Nepal in collaboration with Kathmandu Metropolitan City is organizing the awareness raising campaign on proper use of mask at different public places under ‘Nepal Mask: COVID-19 Response Project’. The Vehicle Booth Campaign and Stand up Campaign have been conducted at crowded market areas such as Asan, Indrachowk, New Road, Sundara, Koteshwor, Durbarmarg, Baneshwor, Kalanki, Buspark and Kathmandu Mall. The campaign is being conducted assuming the probable crowd on the occasion of Tihar and Chhat Festival and need proper use of mask in these public places.

The trained volunteers are sensitizing the general public on proper use of mask and are distributing the mask as triggering tool. A total of 35 volunteers are being mobilized to conduct the campaign. Moreover, a muscot of Coronavirus as ‘Virasur’ and Mask as ‘Jeevanpyaree’ are also being used as triggering tool for the campaign. The volunteers have also been miking with sensitizing message, songs and one to one conversation with general public on proper use of mask and handwashing for COVID-19 prevention and control. From 27 October to 2 November, 2021, 2500 pc of masks have been distributed.

One of the street vendor at New Road said, “We are very glad to see the awareness raising campaign at crowded area. People are busy with the shopping for the Tihar Festival. There is high chances of transmission of the virus from the people who have not used the mask and we are more at risk as we have to face more exposure.”

With the support of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Yale University, “Nepal Mask: COVID-19 Response Project” is being implemented at various COVID-19 hotspot areas of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Madhyapur Thimi Municipality, Melamchi Municipality and Koshi Rural Municipality. The project is being collaboratively executed with a motive to provide data-driven, real-time insights for improving COVID-19 situation in Nepal. This project aims to trigger on behaviour change of general public for proper use of mask project is adopting a NORM (No-cost mask distribution, Offering information, Reinforcement, Modeling) approach.