Tell us your lockdown stories!

Over the past few weeks we have been sharing stories from members of the AuthorAID community about their experiences of doing research and teaching, as well as wider experiences in their families, communities and countries, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We would love to hear your experiences!

• What is the situation like in your country?
• What impact is the situation having on your research?
• What new challenges are you facing?
• What new things are you doing?
• What advice do you have for other researchers?

Comment below or email sharris@inasp.info to submit your own blog post and join our latest researcher story series.

The series so far:

New norms, long lockdown
"The COVID-19 pandemic is to me like a pressure cooker oven, revealing a lot of what my scholarly journey was already, in a previously latent state, except that it’s all heightened."
- Joyce Wangari, Kenya

Fieldwork paused but opportunities for online learning
"I was supposed to be in the field collecting samples for my PhD but all this has been put on hold till further notice...I now have no idea as to when I will finish."
- Mildred Zulu, Zambia

Whither to with COVID-19? The agony of a Zimbabwean graduate candidate
"[Zoom or Skype] are not suitable because the areas where the research is intended to be conducted do not have internet connectivity."
- More Panganayi, Zimbabwe

COVID-19, a double-edged sword!
"As the country is on lock down in a bid to contain COVID-19, most Zimbabweans who survive on informal jobs are panicking as to how they will survive."
- Chiedza Angela Hari, Zimbabwe

COVID-19 and fragile countries
"How governments in developing countries respond to this challenge has important implications on ending poverty.”
- Courage C Dzvukamanja, Zimbabwe

COVID-19: The reality for a Zambian graduate student
"The thought of sitting down to do my academic writing became secondary. I found myself more glued to social media, heightening my already anxiety-crippled brain.”
- Lumbuka Kaunda, Zambia

COVID-19 with many puzzles
"Social scientists should come up with measures that will have positive impact on the social wellbeing of the population.”
- Oswald Zion, Nigeria

Researchers during COVID-19, ‘fall forward’ and not ‘fall back’
"Being separated from my family and having to adjust to the new norm puts on an added layer of complexity to already difficult scenarios.”
- Eric Ngang, from Cameroon/ UK

Impacts of COVID-19 economically, emotionally and socially
"I cannot go out in the field to collect my research data.”
- Florence Mwaba, Zambia

From fighting misinformation to self-improvement during COVID-19
"Misinformation has the potential for triggering more infection and transmission of the virus as it discourages many from practising the safety precautionary measures.”
- Umar Faruk Apord Karim, Ghana

Fake news and misinformation in the COVID-19 era
“We need to be careful with the way we handle information especially in the time of crisis… False news of salt water being a preventive measure and possible cure for Ebola saturated social media and took many people to early graves.”
- Adaora C. Obuezie, Nigeria

The perks of remote documentation
"When we collect data in-person, we also have the chance to observe the participants’ body language, facial expressions, and their surrounding area. These contribute to the answers much more than the simple interviews."
- Sairana Ahsan, Bangladesh

Social construction of gender and the agonies of a graduate nursing mother of twins
"Overall, the COVID-19 pandemic heightens the gender role disparities in society, but also raises a challenge for the rethinking of the burden of caregiving for female graduate students."
- Ruvarashe Chigiya-Mujeni , Zimbabwe