Theatre as intervention tool in HIV/AIDS education with specific reference to 'Lucky, the hero!

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: HIV/AIDS has escalated into a global health pandemic. Africa has emerged as themost severely affected continent with more than half of the world's HIV infectedpopulation residing in Sub-Saharan Africa. Consequently various awarenesscampaigns have been launched in attempts to stifle the rapid spread of thepandemic.Much emphasis has been placed on communication as effective strategy specificallywhen it has a participatory and community-based approach which offers educationthrough alternative ways of responding to HIV/AIDS in order to reach and involve theindividual target audience.The value of entertainment as an effective intervention tool through which to informand educate is of major importance. Theatre is widely implemented as a tool whenattempting problem solving and group and/or individual behaviour-change.Lucky, the Hero! an HIV/AIDS Educational Theatre intervention initiative waslaunched by The Africa Centre for HIV/AIDS Management after research establishedthat alarmingly low levels of HIV/AIDS knowledge existed amongst the predominantlyAfrikaans speaking farm workers communities of the Western Cape region as mediacampaigns had not successfully reached them due to geographical isolation andilliteracy.Theoretical guidelines for the development process and implementation of Lucky, theHero! are provided: how it came about; its content and messages; and the intricaciesof how the show was rolled out to audiences.The specific results and findings of such an Educational Theatre interventioncampaign in the Breede River Valley during September 2007 are discussed, as wellas how successful the practical implementation of the intervention has been in termsof its theoretical base and initial purpose.Lucky, the Hero! was found to be overall successful in achieving its aims and provedto be entertaining and educational. It improved general knowledge of HIV infectionamongst participants and motivated intentions towards positive behaviour change.Over 2000 participants were also tested during the 14-day intervention. Theatre asintervention tool proved to be effective in this specific instance as most participantsagreed that educational theatre was an appropriate method to positively influenceHIV/AIDS related behaviour in the community. They also expressed the wish to seethe performance again and said they would encourage others to see it.Although the evaluation methods served their purpose in proving that theatre was aneffective tool in HIV/AIDS education and provided basic information and results aboutHIV/AIDS and the intervention strategy method and campaign, a multi-integratedapproach needs to be considered. The latter should include follow up interventionsfocusing on ongoing HIV/AIDS education and training in order to achieve feasibleand sustainable long term results.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University