Maputo’s beaches and streets are deserted and the country is on the verge of a state of emergency. In the footsteps of the rest of the world, heavy clouds full of uncertainty, fear and alarming collective vulnerability are hanging over the socially vibrant and colorful capital of Mozambique by the Indian Ocean.
As we are approaching a complete lockdown, people are staying at home, business is frozen, supermarket shelves are emptying and the wheels of society are coming to a standstill as everywhere else in the world right now. The socioeconomic turmoil is in full spin in one of the poorest countries in the world, where the majority of people live from day to day. The crushing socioeconomic impact of COVID-19 will hit us all, hence with alarming disproportions and speed across the world – especially in Africa.
In countries as Mozambique, a lockdown will immediately put millions of people deeper into survival mode, struggling to put food on the table and take care of loved ones.
Lets be Human Together
“My humanity is bound by yours cause we can only be human together”, Desmund Tutu
COVID-19 is calling on us to be human together. Rights, opportunities and social safety nets have been disproportionately distributed among us before COVID-19. However, COVID-19 is now revealing the raw, and for some, inconvenient truth to us that we are just far more interconnected and interdependent than we had ever believed – and only as strong as the weakest of us.
Lets ask ourselves what does it mean to be human together right now?
With nearly 3 billion people in lockdown globally, we will be able to see a reflection of our own experience and humanity in people in most corners of the world right now. We are even called to look at our own humanity as the turmoil of COVID-19 has been turning our lives upside down over night. The collective vulnerability is real.
Uniting in Global Solidarity
These times call on us to stand together and unite across families, neighbourhoods, communities, people and countries in being humans together. I truly believe it is in our inherent nature to unite for a common cause greater than ourselves. We already witness the emergence of incredible initiatives of global solidarity across the world; retired health professionals are voluntarily reporting to duty everywhere; companies have changed their product line to now produce personal protective equipment for healthcare workers; people are volunteering grocery shopping for the elderly; safety masks are being produced and handed out to people at no cost; free services are offered to those majorly affected by COVID-19; collective hand clapping from the windows in Madrid and elsewhere for the healthcare heroes and heroines saving our lives every day and many more.
We can all play a role in making sure that our global human tribe makes it out on the other side of COVID-19 and beyond: what collaborative, innovative or volunteering role can you play in being human together right now?
Ubuntu Stories 