In response to the growing coronavirus outbreak in  Senegal, where as of early Wednesday morning the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases had climbed to 175, the government has closed the country’s airspace and shut down restaurants, schools and even mosques. The president declared a state of emergency this week, imposing travel restrictions and a curfew of 8 p.m.But many people are not following recommendations to remain 2 meters apart and to wash hands regularly. In a country where only half the population is literate, how can people get the message out?To spread awareness, some people are getting creative.Alpha Sy (pronounced al-fa cee) is an art student and a member of Senegalese graffiti artist collective, RBS, or Radikl Bomb Shot. The group of about 30 artists has been creating murals around Dakar to illustrate proper hygiene practices and to encourage people to stay home and respect the curfew.In a country with a low literacy rate, art can help spread important information about how to stay safe during the coronavirus outbreak. (Alpha Sy)The first of the COVID-19 murals was done in partnership with Dakar’s Cheikh Anta Diop University, on the school’s campus.Abdoulaye Sow, a director at the university who commissioned the mural, said the school is an ideal location for the mural because the area gets a lot of foot traffic.He said people don’t have time to stop for long, so a mural like this allows the message to have the greatest impact.The graffiti collective has completed three murals thus far. They hope to create about a dozen COVID-related works so that their message can be seen in every neighborhood in Dakar.
…