I'm Just Like YOU!

I’m Just Like YOU!

Written by: Leslie Snider Illustrated by: Ramone Outlaw ©Peace in Practice B.V.

Acknowledgements Labor of Love Team: Leslie Snider, MD, MPH (author) Ramone Outlaw (illustrator) Alessandro Mannocchi (designer) Reviewers: Alison Schafer, World Vision International Louise Juul Hansen, IFRC Reference Centre for Psychosocial Support Julian Eaton, CBM Mark van Ommeren, World Health Organization Special thanks to Marc Dubois and Golda Ninn

Freely available by download from: www.peaceinpractice.org Copyright 2015 ŠPeace in Practice B.V. Registered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands

For prints and permissions, contact leslie@peaceinpractice.org

Dedication For the children in West Africa, to be safe, to be comforted, to be happy and healthy.

o h W ou? y e r a

Are you a spacema n?

? t s o h g y r a c s ? a e r u e o y h t n i Are g n i d i h u o y Are

My name is Michel.

And I’m a person, Can yo just like you! u

show u

s?

Yes, I can!

s ’ t a h W r u o y in ? s t o bo

My feet!

s ’ t a h W r u o y in ? s e v o gl

My hand

s!

n o t a h t s i t Wha ? d a e h r u o y

Goggles for my eyes and a mask for my nose and mouth.

Do you get hot with al those t l hings o n?

Oh, yes!

Do you laugh?

Just like you!

And do you sing and dance?

t s Ju il ke ! u o y

t e g u o y o d And ? o o t sad

Just like you.

Sometimes I cry because people are very sick.

That is why I wear the suit and the boots and the goggles and the mask. So I can help the people, but not get sick too.

When I finish working, I take off the suit and my friends spray with me chlorine to make sure I’m all clean.

The chlorine smells a bit funny, but then I can go home safely to my family.

Maybe you have seen other people wearing suits in your neighborhood?

e r e w e w d n a , s e !

Y d i a r f a

I understand. But you don’t have to be afraid‌they are helpers too. They are helping families who had someone sick in their home.

s s e n k c i s s i h t id d k c y i h s e W h t d i D ? re ? e d h a e b m g o n i c h t e m o s o d e l p peo

No, it’s nobody’s fault that the sickness came here.

The sickness is caused by a tiny, tiny thing called a virus. We can only see it with a special machine that sees things our eyes can’t see - a “microscope”.

w o h w o n k ? u f l o e y s r o u D o y k c i s t e g o t t no

First, don’t touch any sick person. Don’t touch anything that they have touched.

s d n a h r u o y h s Wa ap o s h t i a lot w . r e t a w d an

You can help by praying for someone who is sick. Or talk to them from far, far away.

But do not get close to them!

That way you will stay healthy!

e l p o e Can p

? r e t t get be

Some people can get better if they go to the health centre and we can care for them.

We do our very best to help them!

e l p o e p e m o s t , Bu r e t t e b t e g t ’ don l? e h c i M , y e h t do

That’s true. Some people will die from Ebola. When people die, their bodies stop working.

But they don’t feel the pain or sickness anymore.

We miss them and may feel sad because they are not with us anymore.

Maybe you know someone who has died? Maybe one of your friends had someone die in their family?

Yes, we saw people very sad because someone died. We heard the mom and dad of our friend both died.

. d n e i r f r u o y r o f rry o s p l o e s h o t I’m w o h w o n k u o y o D l e e f m i h better?

You can talk and play with him, and listen if he wants to talk or feels sad. Let him know you are still his friend!”

The same is true if you know someone who has come back from the hospital and is all better now.

Treat them nicely, just as you did before they got sick. You cannot catch Ebola from someone who has gotten all better.

, u o y owing

n k e k i Il . l e h Mic

And I like knowing you too!

If I see y ou, I will wa ve to you and you can wav e to me.

Although I can’t come close to you when I am wearing my suit, it will be nice to wave hello!