TABASAMU

On our season finale, the Dimanga community is having a celebration...Connie's baby is now 40 days old. The baby also got a vaccine immunization...Mzee Amani agrees that children vaccines like Polio have been saving lives since time immemorial. However, he doesn't trust the process of creating and administering the Covid-19 vaccine. Is it important for the community to trust scientists and research regulatory bodies (both national and international)?

Beka, being a matatu driver, he is a frontline worker and he wants to take the Covid-19 vaccine. He has heard rumours in Dimanga that the vaccine is likely to make him infertile. Should he take the jab and risk not getting children or should he avoid it and risk contracting Covid. What are the effects of the vaccine? Are these rumours?

 Cheupe strongly believes that when one person in the household contracts Covid-19, everyone else automatically gets it. She does not understand why Beka is the only one in Mzee Amani's house who contracted the virus. What kind of Covid is this? Why are some people infected by Covid-19 and others living in the same household don't get the virus?

Beka has contracted the Covid-19 virus. He went to hospital and was advised to manage the symptoms at home. His father Mzee Amani will hear none of this, he believes Covid-19 must be managed in hospital. Is it possible for a Covid-19 patient to receive home based care? How will his family take care of him? How effective is Home based care in managing Covid-19? What happens when his case deteriorates?

Waridi is ready to take the Covid-19 vaccine, being a community health volunteer she is a front liner who is at risk. Her husband Mzee Amani ,strongly opposes this, sighting his concerns over the vaccine. He feels it has been manufactured too fast, was not well researched and may be harmful to human beings.

How safe is this vaccine? Was the due process in ensuring vaccine safety followed? Is it harmful to human beings?

Welcome to Tabasamu, a Swahili audio drama set in a fictional community Dimanga. The 12 part series of 7 minute episodes highlights the lives of the people of Dimanga, their challenges and highlights following the Covid-19 pandemic.

This episode's highlight is on safety in health research. Is health research safe for humans?

In this episode we highlight the importance of health research, especially during a pandemic.

With Covid-19, came economic strains that led to stress, depression and other mental health issues. This episode highlights the impact of Covid-19 on mental health.

Early pregnancy, school dropouts amongst young boys and girls are some of the major effects of Covid on school going children that we highlight in this episode. The impact of Covid-19 on school going children

This episode highlighted the dilemma brought about by  different strains and waves of Covid-19.

In this episode, we highlight the difference between flu and Covid-19 symptoms.

In this episode, Mzee Amani and his family are skeptical about Covid-19, they prefer to lead their lives as usual.