VOA慢速英语--塞内加尔的艺术家们创作壁画来向人们普及冠状病毒的知识

Senegal Artists Paint Murals to Educate on Coronavirus

For years, artists in cities throughout Africa have been making paintings to educate the public on social and health issues. During the Ebola crisis¹ a few years ago, for example, artists around West Africa painted signs and murals to inform people on the deadly effects of the virus.

Now, a group of artists in Dakar, Senegal is making murals to show people how to fight the coronavirus outbreak. To limit the spread of the virus, the government has closed the country's airspace. It also ordered the closure of restaurants, schools and Islamic religious centers.

Senegal's president ordered travel restrictions² and set a curfew of 8:00 at night.

But many people are not following calls to remain two meters apart or wash their hands more carefully. Some areas in Dakar are more crowded than others, so keeping distance is not always easy. And water supplies are sometimes cut unexpectedly, so frequent hand washing may not always be possible.

In a country where only half the population can read, art is an effective way of sharing an important message.

Alpha Sy is an art student and a member of Senegalese graffiti artist group RBS, short for Radikl Bomb Shot. About 30 artists belong to the group. They have been creating murals around Dakar to demonstrate good hygiene³ practices and to tell people to stay home and respect the curfew.

Sy said he was frightened for everyone because many people do not realize what is happening. He said people think the virus is only a problem in Europe and that it will not spread to Senegal. He also does not think the country's hospitals could take as many as 10,000 people.

Because of Senegal's low literacy⁴ rate, Sy said, art is an effective way to share an important message. He said his group created the murals for everyone. The artists wanted people to understand the message, so they decided⁵ to focus more on the picture than the writing.

The graffiti collective was formed in 2012 as part of efforts to raise social issues in a way that young people could relate to. The group's projects have focused on violence against women and paintings of African leaders such as Nelson Mandela.

The first of the murals for COVID-19, the disease resulting from the coronavirus, was done in partnership⁶ with Dakar's Cheikh Anta Diop University.

Abdoulaye Sow is a director at the university. He ordered the mural painted on its grounds. He said the school is an ideal place for the mural because a lot of people walk by.

Sow said people do not have time to stop for long, so a painting like this helps the message have the greatest effect.

The graffiti collective has completed three murals so far. They hope to create about 12 COVID-related works so that their message can be seen in every neighborhood in Dakar.

Words in This Story

mural – n. a usually large painting that is done directly on the surface of a wall

outbreak - a sudden start or increase of disease

frequent – adj. happening often

graffiti – n. pictures or words painted or drawn⁷ on a wall, building or something else

hygiene – n. the things that you do to keep yourself and your surroundings clean in order to maintain good health

literacy – n. the ability to read and write

focus – v. to direct your attention or effort at something specific

1 crisis   

n.危机，危急关头，决定性时刻，关键阶段

参考例句：

• He had proved that he could be relied on in a crisis.他已表明，在紧要关头他是可以信赖的。
• The topic today centers about the crisis in the Middle East.今天课题的中心是中东危机。

2 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

3 hygiene   

n.健康法，卫生学 （a.hygienic）

参考例句：

• Their course of study includes elementary hygiene and medical theory.他们的课程包括基础卫生学和医疗知识。
• He's going to give us a lecture on public hygiene.他要给我们作关于公共卫生方面的报告。

4 literacy   

n.识字，有文化，读写能力

参考例句：

• I can't believe that he failed the literacy test.我无法相信他识字测试不及格。
• The literacy rate there is the highest in Central America.那里的识字率居中美洲之首。

5 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

6 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

7 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。