Using drama to deliver health message

ONE of the core aspects of the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Programme (RWSSP) in Papua New Guinea is to educate and disseminate vital health messages so that communities can change their hygiene practices and improve their health status.
RWSSP thought it would be a fantastic idea to deliver that message through dramas.
Raun Raun theatre Company in Goroka was contracted by RWSSP to do interactive drama with three NSA project sites in Goroka: Goroka Community Development Agency’s project site at Kwongi 2 village, Ayaho Community Development Foundation’s project site at Urante Famo and Salvation Army (North) project site at Barola.
The objective of the Theater Group was to live with the villagers, study their daily lives then create dramas depicting these styles plus act out health messages on health and hygiene as promoted by RWSSP objectives.
These were the findings at Urante Famo.
The drama group was made up of two men and four men.
The drama included songs on health and hygiene and two role plays.
One of the plays was on roles and responsibilities of  different people in a community.
The other play was based on the importance of clean water, the consequence of drinking dirty water and water-related diseases.
Most the feedback was similar for the men and women.
Key messages stressed in the dramas included washing of hands after using latrines, drinking clean wate and avoiding water-related diseases like diarrhoea.
In one instance, the drama was played around a group of people who were actually card gambling, showing their bad practices with resulting unhealthy living.