CAI launches #YallaJab in collaboration with the Yemen Canadian Community
Toronto, July 21, 2021 — The Canadian Arab Institute (CAI) is pleased to announce its latest partnership in collaboration with the Yemen Canadian Community (YCC) and Public Health Agency of Canada on #YallaJab. #YallaJab a public health resource campaign focused on getting the Arab-Canadian community protected and vaccinated against COVID-19.
The CAI has created a trilingual Ontario-based vaccine resource hub that aims to increase awareness about and access to vaccinations within the Arab-Canadian community by spreading factual information related to the virus and vaccines.
This week also marks the start of a Canadian federal election campaign, where public health democracy has never been so vital for the protection of our community, public institutions, and society at large. We know that racialized communities were the most hard-hit by COVID-19 based on our latest research study in collaboration with Brock University.
For example, the rate of COVID-19 cases among Arabs in Toronto is approximately 8 times higher than non-racialized Torontonians. Ontario health professionals have consistently said that vaccines are the way out of this pandemic, and an end to the pandemic means an improvement in the livelihood of Arab-Canadians and other racialized communities.
Our resource hub will utilize the power of community networks and social media to increase public awareness about the importance of vaccination, particularly as new variants begin to emerge. By utilizing networks, platforms, and community hubs that people in the Arab-Canadian community rely on, #YallaJab will aim to reach as many Arab-Canadians residing in Ontario. In addition, the #YallaJab resource hub will be available in Arabic, French, and English in an effort to reach the widest demographic of Arab-Canadians possible. This directly addresses the gaps in accessibility in the process of vaccination all the while responding to the needs of our community as it relates to access to information, language barriers and trust in public institutions.
We are committed to responding to the needs of our community through this resource hub. Please help us in spreading this message so that together we can protect our community and ensure they have access to vital information about their health. Our community, our province, and our country depend on this message in order to make COVID-19 a part of the past.
TAKE ACTION NOW:
Visit and share our #YallaJab resource hub
Post on social media using the #YallaJab hashtag to let others in your community know that you have done your part and have gotten vaccinated against COVID-19.
Print and distribute YallaJab’s material in the three languages: English, French, and Arabic, and post them in areas where your Arab friends, family, and clients can see them.
Press Contact: Shireen Salti, Executive Director, shireen@canadianarabinstitute.org, T: 647-425-7970
About The Canadian Arab Institute
The Canadian Arab Institute is a national non-partisan organization that focuses on issues and interests of the Canadian Arab community through research, policy, programming and community engagement. CAI celebrates and encourages Arab Canadians' participation in all social, political, cultural and economic aspects of Canadian society.
About The Yemen Canadian Community
Yemen Canadian Community is a non-profit non-political organization that aims to be the main point of reference for all newcomers in general and Yemenis in particular to Toronto.
The YCC aims to achieve that goal by providing support tools and activities that would help newcomers in general and Yemenis, in particular, to succeed and adjust well within the Canadian community.
About Public Health Agency of Canada
The Public Health Agency of Canada is part of the federal health portfolio. Its activities focus on preventing disease and injuries, responding to public health threats, promoting good physical and mental health, and providing information to support informed decision-making.