Bridge Builders

COVID-19 and the Erosion of Trust: Not Just a Local Issue

In 2020, the world encountered a new virus- COVID-19. In a short time, millions were sick with flu-like symptoms, but many did not survive the sickness. Governments and health care systems were constantly giving new information and rumors also spread. This caused many people to not know what to do. In this episode, students from Yemen and the United States explore how the COVID-19 pandemic affected people in their countries and caused people to not trust what their governments or hospitals said about the illness. Two interviews, one in Yemen and one in the United States, show two different experiences people had with the virus and how it affected their loved ones. Finally, an interview with Dr. Alrabiai, a doctor in Yemen discusses what we can do in case something like this comes again. Though oceans apart, both Yemen and the United States were impacted by Covid-19 and the erosion of trust that came with it.

 

This episode was produced by the Bridge Builders team. Qisasna, or “Our Stories,” is a product of a cross-cultural exchange podcast training program featuring 320 Yemeni and American students in four cohorts, or 640 students. Qisasna is sponsored by the Aspen Institute’s Stevens Initiative and funded by the U.S. Department of State. Amideast, in partnership with ICRD, YFCA, Hadhramout Foundation, and Kerning Cultures, implements the Qisasna Project.