Theatre for Bird Flu Project
Donor
UNICEF
Period
January-March 2016,
Location
20 Junior High School
Theatre for Bird Flu Project
Results
Reached 5, 200 people including children and poultry farmers in the communities with information, knowledge, and prevention of the bird flu transmission mode.
No human infection was recorded and no further spread was recorded whilst the poultry farmers has the understanding of the necessity why the veterinary service/NADMO had to destroy the remaining birds.
Situation Problem
The outbreak of Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) in 2015 in Ghana showed that Greater Accra Region with 30 communities in 11 districts faced the problem with total destruction of 69,100 birds.
Such a problem could lead to an unsafe environment for the consumption of any poultry and its products, affecting children, parents, and community members.
Good awareness education, communication, and knowledge of bird flu transmission modes and prevention could avoid human infection. That was where Theatre for Social Change (TfSC) came in.
Response Solution
To address the issue, UNICEF-Ghana, NADMO, and Veterinary Service, first met. Working together, they created a plan to use TfSC’s interactive drama to create the needed awareness, education, information, and knowledge of bird flu in the 20 most-affected communities in the Greater Accra Region for the people and the bird farmers whilst the veterinary doctors serving as resource persons.
TfSC worked with community volunteers on peer education, focus-group discussions, advocacy, and devising stories for drama performances. 160 community volunteers from 20 communities, learned to create the awareness and avoidance of bird flu infection through peer education, focus-group discussions, and drama performances.
The volunteers stressed the avoidance of eating any poultry and its products in the communities. Encouraging community members to express opinions, and report for support in case of any evidence of the bird flu.
