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

Thesis (MDram)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: HIV/AIDS has escalated into a global health pandemic. Africa has emerged as the
most severely affected continent with more than half of the world’s HIV infected
population residing in Sub-Saharan Africa. Consequently various awareness
campaigns have been launched in attempts to stifle the rapid spread of the
pandemic.
Much emphasis has been placed on communication as effective strategy specifically
when it has a participatory and community-based approach which offers education
through alternative ways of responding to HIV/AIDS in order to reach and involve the
individual target audience.
The value of entertainment as an effective intervention tool through which to inform
and educate is of major importance. Theatre is widely implemented as a tool when
attempting problem solving and group and/or individual behaviour-change.
Lucky, the Hero! an HIV/AIDS Educational Theatre intervention initiative was
launched by The Africa Centre for HIV/AIDS Management after research established
that alarmingly low levels of HIV/AIDS knowledge existed amongst the predominantly
Afrikaans speaking farm workers communities of the Western Cape region as media
campaigns had not successfully reached them due to geographical isolation and
illiteracy.
Theoretical guidelines for the development process and implementation of Lucky, the
Hero! are provided: how it came about; its content and messages; and the intricacies
of how the show was rolled out to audiences.
The specific results and findings of such an Educational Theatre intervention
campaign in the Breede River Valley during September 2007 are discussed, as well
as how successful the practical implementation of the intervention has been in terms
of its theoretical base and initial purpose.
Lucky, the Hero! was found to be overall successful in achieving its aims and proved
to be entertaining and educational. It improved general knowledge of HIV infection
amongst participants and motivated intentions towards positive behaviour change.
Over 2000 participants were also tested during the 14-day intervention. Theatre as
intervention tool proved to be effective in this specific instance as most participants
agreed that educational theatre was an appropriate method to positively influence
HIV/AIDS related behaviour in the community. They also expressed the wish to see
the performance again and said they would encourage others to see it. Although the evaluation methods served their purpose in proving that theatre was an
effective tool in HIV/AIDS education and provided basic information and results about
HIV/AIDS and the intervention strategy method and campaign, a multi-integrated
approach needs to be considered. The latter should include follow up interventions
focusing on ongoing HIV/AIDS education and training in order to achieve feasible
and sustainable long term results. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: MIV/VIGS het in ’n globale pandemie ontwikkel met Afrika die kontinent wat die
ergste geraak word. Meer as die helfte van die wêreld se bevolking wat die MIV-virus
het, bevind hulle in sub-Sahara Afrika. Gevolglik is verskeie bewusmakingsveldtogte
van stapel laat loop in ’n poging om die snelle verspreiding van die pandemie te
probeer stuit.
Kommunikasie as doeltreffende strategie geniet veral aansien, spesifiek wanneer ’n
interaktiewe, gemeenskapsgebaseerde aanslag gevolg word om so individuele
teikengroepe op te voed en deur middel van alternatiewe MIV/VIGS aksie te betrek.
Heelwat klem word geplaas op die waarde van vermaaklikheid as doeltreffende
intervensiemeganisme met die doel om in te lig en op te voed. Die teater word wyd
as meganisme geïmplementeer ten opsigte van probleemoplossing en die
verandering van groeps- en/of individuele gedrag.
Lucky, the Hero!, ’n MIV/VIGS Opvoedkundige Teaterintervensie-inisiatief, is deur die
Afrika Instituut vir MIV/VIGS Bestuur van stapel laat loop nadat navorsing daarop
gedui het dat die kennisvlakke van plaaswerkersgemeenskappe in Wes-Kaapland
oor dié pandemie ontstellend laag is. Weens geografiese isolasie en ongeletterdheid
het veldtogte in die media oor MIV/VIGS bitter min impak op dié gemeenskappe
gemaak.
In die hoofstukke wat volg, word teoretiese riglyne vir die ontwikkelingsproses en
toepassing van Lucky, the Hero! bespreek – hoe dit gebeur het; die inhoudelikheid
daarvan tesame met boodskappe, asook die ingewikkeldhede rondom die wyse
waarop dié opvoering aan gehore gebring is.
Die spesifieke resultate en bevindinge van so ’n Opvoedkundige Teaterintervensieveldtog
in die Breederiviervallei gedurende September 2007 word gemeld, asook die
sukses van die praktiese implementering van dié intervensie in terme van sy
teoretiese grondslag en aanvanklike doelwitte.
In die geheel is bevind dat Lucky, the Hero! suksesvol was in die bereiking van sy
doelwitte en dat dit vermaaklik en opvoedkundig van aard was. Dit het algemene
kennis rondom MIV-infeksie onder deelnemers verbeter en voornemens teenoor
positiewe gedragsverandering gestu. Meer as 2000 deelnemers is ook tydens die
intervensie van twee weke getoets. Teater as intervensiemeganisme het in dié
spesifieke instansie geblyk doeltreffend te wees aangesien die meerderheid deelnemers saamgestem het dat opvoedkundige teater ’n gepaste metode is om
MIV/Vigs-verwante gedrag in die gemeenskap positief te beïnvloed. Ook wou hulle
die opvoering graag weer kyk en sou ander mense aanraai om dit te gaan kyk.
Hoewel die evalueringsmetodes hulle doel gedien en bewys het dat teater ’n
doeltreffende meganisme ten opsigte van MIV/VIGS-opvoeding is en basiese
inligting en resultate omtrent MIV/VIGS en die intervensiestrategiemetode en
-veldtog opgelewer het, behoort ’n multi-geïntegreerde benadering egter oorweeg te
word – een wat opvolgintervensies insluit wat gefokus is op voortgesette MIV/VIGSopvoeding
en opleiding met die oog op haalbare en volhoubare langtermyn resultate.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/20247
Date03 1900
CreatorsDavis, Heloise Victoria
ContributorsKruger, M. S., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Drama.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
Format174 p. : ill.
RightsStellenbosch University

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