‘White Capes: Fighting the Invisible’ – WHO and EU launch children’s comic on COVID-19 in Kazakhstan

11 May 2022

WHO, in partnership with the EU, presented the children’s comic book entitled ‘White Capes: Fighting the Invisible’ on March 17 at a school in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan.

In the comic book, 4 scientist-superheroes – the White Capes – champion WHO recommendations on public health and social measures (PHSM) during the COVID-19 pandemic. These superheroes explain how and why people should wear face masks, regularly wash their hands, keep a distance from each other, and ensure that closed spaces are well ventilated. Their mission: Unite everyone to #DoItAll and stop the Corona King and his new army of variants.

The initiative is part of the EU’s Central Asia COVID-19 Crisis Response (CACCR) solidarity package, addressing the needs of Central Asian countries with a primary focus on Kazakhstan. The comic book is also in line with national priorities, as the government pledges to prioritize children’s well-being and social protection as well as their intellectual and physical development.

Download the full comic book at the bottom of this page.

 

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The comic book is a reminder to all that, despite a recent decline in COVID-19 cases in Kazakhstan, it is important for the public to follow PHSM to stay safe, especially as children acquire many of their healthy habits at school.

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The launch of the comic book coincided with the International Day of Nowruz, marking the start of the Spring season. During the book presentation in the Kazakh capital, the audience wore festive national Kazakh clothing with traditional patterns.

 

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Excitement was palpable in the room as the children finally got their hands on the comic book, immersing themselves in its pages. Many in the young audience had pertinent questions about COVID-19.

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“This class of 2nd graders touched my heart. They are such an engaged, curious and fascinating class, filled with wisdom,” said Dr Caroline Clarinval, WHO Representative in Kazakhstan, as she answered questions from the children on the origin of the virus.

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“It is essential for the younger generation to have access to evidence-based information. We believe that our joint project with WHO will help maintain health and even save lives in the future,” said Mr Kestutis Jankauskas, EU Ambassador to Kazakhstan, who joined in the lively discussion.

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In a practical experiment, Lulua, one of the children in the audience, touched a surface covered with an invisible powder imitating the stickiness of germs. She shook hands with her friends before placing her hands under an ultraviolet light. This clearly showed how the germs had spread and could be passed on from person to person by a simple touch.

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The WHO Country Office in Kazakhstan will distribute over 4000 copies of the comic book in Kazakh and Russian among more than 150 school libraries in Kazakhstan. The comic book, developed by WHO with the financial assistance of the EU, will also be translated into Armenian and Kyrgyz.

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