Everyone listens to music, and through this music we can raise awareness
Two artists recorded awareness songs and conducted market outreach to educate communities about Ebola prevention in the epicenter of the outbreak. Health authorities face challenges from skepticism and attacks on workers, making community trust and local initiatives critical to containing transmission.
- Over 550 confirmed Ebola cases in DRC, more than 100 deaths
- Outbreak declared May 15, caused by Bundibugyo strain with no approved vaccine
- Ituri province accounts for over 90 percent of infections
- Two artists—Wedy's Sarah and Musa Tabaro Ghislain—recorded awareness songs and conducted market outreach in Bunia
As Ebola cases exceed 550 in DRC with over 100 deaths, local artists in Bunia use music and community engagement to combat misinformation and promote preventive health measures.
In a recording studio in Bunia, deep in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, two artists are working against time and fear. Singer Wedy's Sarah and slam poet Musa Tabaro Ghislain have set aside their usual work to make something different: songs about how to stay alive.
The Ebola outbreak spreading through this region has already killed more than 100 people. Over 550 confirmed cases have been documented, though health officials suspect the real number is far higher—the virus was circulating for weeks before anyone noticed, and contact tracing remains incomplete. The strain responsible, called Bundibugyo, has no vaccine and no specific cure. In Ituri province, where Bunia sits, the outbreak accounts for more than 90 percent of all infections, though cases have also appeared in North Kivu, South Kivu, and across the border in Uganda.
What Wedy's Sarah and Ghislain understand is that music reaches people in ways that official warnings sometimes do not. "We're not doctors," Wedy's Sarah said, "but we hope to make a difference in the face of the Ebola epidemic. Everyone listens to music, and through this music we can raise awareness." The songs they recorded focus on concrete, actionable steps: wash your hands regularly, wear a mask when you're in crowds, keep distance from others. These are not complicated messages, but they are the ones that matter most.
Their work did not stay confined to the studio. After recording, the two artists moved into the community itself, walking through local markets to speak directly with traders and residents. They talked about protection, about the importance of taking precautions before the disease reaches a family or community. Ghislain emphasized the urgency of this approach: "We shouldn't wait until the disease affects us or those around us. Everyone should take the necessary precautions and follow the advice given by doctors."
This kind of grassroots outreach has become essential because the official response faces serious obstacles. Health authorities are struggling against skepticism from residents who doubt the threat or distrust the authorities themselves. Health workers have been attacked. The region remains unstable, making it difficult to reach people and trace contacts. Public health experts have concluded that community trust and local awareness are now as critical as any medical intervention—perhaps more so, because without them, people will not seek treatment, will not isolate, will not change behavior.
The artists are betting that their voices can cut through the noise of fear and misinformation in ways that official channels cannot. They are not replacing doctors or vaccines or the hard work of epidemiologists. But in a place where the outbreak was detected late, where the true scale of infection remains unknown, where skepticism and insecurity complicate every response effort, music and direct conversation may be exactly what is needed to slow transmission and save lives.
Notable Quotes
Everyone listens to music, and through this music we can raise awareness.— Wedy's Sarah, singer
We shouldn't wait until the disease affects us or those around us. Everyone should take the necessary precautions and follow the advice given by doctors.— Musa Tabaro Ghislain, slam poet
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does music matter here, specifically? Why not just rely on health officials to get the message out?
Because people don't always trust officials, especially when they're scared. Music is familiar. It's something people gather around. And these artists live in the community—they're not outsiders.
But can a song actually change behavior? Can it convince someone to wash their hands or wear a mask?
Not by itself. But it can make the message stick in a way that a poster or a radio announcement might not. And when the artists then show up in the market to talk face-to-face, the song becomes part of a conversation, not just noise.
The article mentions attacks on health workers and skepticism. How deep does that distrust run?
Deep enough that it's slowing the response. People are afraid, and fear makes them suspicious. Some believe the disease isn't real, or that the authorities are exaggerating. When that happens, people hide symptoms, avoid clinics, don't report contacts. The virus spreads faster.
So the artists are trying to rebuild trust?
Not rebuild it—they're trying to work around it. They're saying: forget what you think about the government for a moment. Here's what you need to do to protect yourself and your family. That's a message that doesn't require trust in institutions. It just requires listening.