IFGH 2010: Sharing lessons learned from the development and rollout of three puppet films designed for eight – 12 year old children in South and East Africa that convey lessons on Stigma, Prevention and Gender Equality.

Issues:  Children and young people are at the centre of the global HIV epidemic. Recent estimates suggest that about 2 million children under 15 years of age have HIV, about 90% of whom live in sub-Saharan Africa. The same region accounts for almost two-thirds of all youth living with HIV (3.28 million), 76% of them female. Despite these numbers, children and young people, living with or affected by HIV, face inadequate access to HIV education, prevention, and support and health services.

Description:  This initiative involved the creation of three puppet films and a facilitator’s guide to deliver educational messages to children in sub-Saharan Africa, on Stigma, Gender Inequality and Prevention. Designed in consultation with partners, the messaging and the effectiveness of the films has been tested in Kenya and Uganda by assessing children’s knowledge attitudes, through focus groups, before and after the film and accompanying structured discussion.

Lessons Learned:  Messages were generally understood and were relevant to the context. The film, with good facilitation, is an effective way to dispel basic myths leading to stigmatising attitudes, to discuss the benefits of knowing your status and to discuss appropriate care and support for people living with AIDS. The films were not shown however to convey messages about positive living.

Next Steps:  The films will be dubbed into local languages and, along with the manual, be rolled out through partners in a number of other locations.

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• Sharing lessons learned from the development and rollout of three puppet films designed for eight -12 year old children in South and East Africa that convey lessons on Stigma, Prevention and Gender Equality. (5.25 MB)