Photo: CaÍque Souza/ ASCOM/CIR
During the coronavirus pandemic, especially since the first vaccine against the disease was approved, a lot of fake news was spread. On social networks were where this fake news about the immunizer went viral the most. This somehow caused many people not to get immunized with the new vaccine.
This fake news also reached indigenous peoples. Concerned about all this, indigenous journalists from Roraima, Ariene Susui and Nailson Almeida, both from the Wapichana people, worked on the creation of informative folders about the Covid-19 vaccine, bringing information to relatives throughout the state as a way to combat Fake News.
Coordinator of the Raposa region, Valério Eurico, with the information folders ready to be distributed in the communities. Photo: Nailson Almeida/ Wakywai network.
In all, 6 thousand information folders were produced that will be distributed in nine regions of the state of Roraima. In addition to the Portuguese language, the copies were also translated into five other indigenous languages, Wapichana, Macuxi, Wai-Wai, Yanomami and Taurepang.
The vaccine against Covid-19 is already a reality in Brazil. Despite being so awaited by many, there was a lot of resistance in another large part. In many cases, the lack of information made room for fake news spread on the internet about the immunizer. Since science produced the first vaccine against Covid-19, experts have been striving to take down all fake news that circulates mainly on social networks.
With this in mind, according to the journalist who coordinates the work, Ariene Susui, the project was born with this concern, because, as an indigenous journalist, she feels that she has the duty to bring clear information based mainly on the facts, making the information in the form of dialogue, based on an interview with an indigenous doctor.
Our great concern since the beginning of the pandemic has been with the news that arrived within our communities. Both about Covid-19 and about vaccination. Seeing that a large part of the communities in the beginning were afraid to take the vaccine and were harmed by fake news. Unfortunately, this was a great embargo within the communities, so that many leaders, the elderly, young people did not want to take the vaccine.
Also according to Ariene, all the material was made especially so that the communities, the leaders could better understand about covid-19, about vaccination and also the care with fake news.
Indigenous journalists in the distribution of Covid-19 newsletters. Photo: Janderson Macuxi/ Wakywai Network.
Our great concern is to bring coherent information that really helps communities understand what is happening. To really see the reality we are going through. That's why we worked on these folders in six different languages. We also had this concern to take them to indigenous languages and having this partnership with the Indigenous Council of Roraima (CIR) and also with the supporter who was essential for us to be able to print and work on this folder, which was Internews. It was a gratifying job, because as indigenous professionals, we were very happy when we were able to contribute in some way to our communities and leaders.
The first region to receive the information folders in Portuguese and Macuxi was Raposa. The copies were delivered to the regional coordinator, Valério Macuxi.