Maybe all we need is a meme

JUST about a month back, an unassuming meerkat leaning against a wall became Africa’s unofficial mascot — popping up in ad campaigns, news feeds and in netizens’ reality-check jokes.

As the remixed “knowing rodent” trended from Harare to Lilongwe, Mombasa to Abuja, I found myself wondering: if a simple meme can capture millions of hearts, can we harness that same frenzy to save our children from sexual abuse?

In just 72 hours, the original meerkat image racked up more than 20 million views across Instagram, Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).

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