PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

The Art of Ageing is a Wellcome Trust funded public engagement programme being implemented in Zimbabwe and The Gambia. It aims to give older people a platform and voice to express their opinions and experiences about ageing through the creative arts. It promotes innovation and ideas towards wellbeing in older age, and aims to combat ageism. These aims align with those of the WHO Healthy Ageing 2021-30 strategy.  The 2023 Art of Ageing Competition received hundreds of entries in four art categories: music, dance, prose and mixed media from across the two countries. In Zimbabwe, the competition finalists went through a mentorship stage, whereby they were assisted in creating innovative final projects, themed around wellbeing and ageing. A panel of judges convened to select the winners from amongst these finalist projects. The winners in each category and all the finalists and their artworks were then celebrated in an Art of Ageing Showcase, on Friday 16th February 2024, attended by multiple stakeholders including members of various ministries, embassies, and local and international organizations working with older populations in Zimbabwe. In The Gambia, a panel of judges convened to select the winners from amongst the finalist projects. The winners in each category and all the finalists and their artworks are to be celebrated at the forthcoming Art of Ageing Showcase in The Gambia, on February 28th 2024.   In addition the Art of Ageing art competitions, this engagement programme is also working on an Art of Ageing film that will use cinematic storytelling to explore ageing journeys in Zimbabwe and The Gambia. The film will include expert interviews, testimonials from older people, art (including the art competition top entries), and re-enactments informed by interviews and workshops with older people.  https://static.wixstatic.com/media/beee07_f46a2b6ca8774c4799bac2b216945374~mv2.png

The Art of Health u(https://www.artofhealthzim.com/)ses the creative arts (such as art, music and theatre) to research, educate and involve young people in addressing the health issues that matter to them. In partnership with Ardent Creative, a creative media and engagement agency, we create our own projects and collaborate with organisations and individuals looking for innovative ways to engage young people and collect data creatively. This enables them to to elevate their health-themed events/ projects and curate a beautiful library of creative pieces to amplify their work’s message. Activities include health-themed art competitions, art exhibitions, music videos, short f ilms, stage plays, creative workshops and more! Over 5000 young people have participated in our activities and we have collaborated with organisations such as PMNCH, IUSTI and the Children Cities and Climate action lab. To find out more or collaborate email : art@ardentc.com https://static.wixstatic.com/media/beee07_d29427765ced45f9bf04bd9851c7181f~mv2.jpg https://static.wixstatic.com/media/undefined

Funded by a Wellcome Trust International Engagement Award, we created Chiedza’s Song in 2016, a 1-hour film telling the true story of an adolescent girl growing up with HIV in Zimbabwe. It was filmed and produced by Picturing Health,(http://www.picturinghealth.org/) a UK-based non-profit organisation specialising in health-related films, in collaboration with the award-winning Zimbabwean filmmaker Joe Njagu. The film was based on more than 50 interviews with HIV positive young people in Harare. it was designed to encourage dialogue about the challenges faced by adolescents living with HIV. The film has two versions, both available here. One version, intended for showing in community halls in Harare, is interactive, with a pause during which one of the main characters would appear on stage to host a group discussion. The second version includes film of a community hall discussion, and plays through without a break. A Facilitation Guide is available for use by teachers or community groups showing the film, in any context. It is a guide to stimulate conversations about the key issues faced by children and adolescents living with HIV, such as discrimination and the challenges of taking lifelong treatment. https://vimeo.com/156087647 https://vimeo.com/145268200

The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic has significantly altered our lives as Zimbabweans and the world over. In keeping with international health organisations’ efforts in disseminating important information to reduce the spread of the virus, our research group has developed COVID-19 preventative measures infographic visuals, for the community and public health sector to follow. We are committed to ensuring the safety and welfare of the general public during this period by urging them to adhere to these practices when engaging in everyday activities and when performing healthcare work in community settings. Unpacking COVID-19 - For our communities https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2UsY0wQM1Q&feature=emb_title(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2UsY0wQM1Q&feature=emb_title) COVID-19 Precautions for Health Workers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cItBzIxZ6CY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cItBzIxZ6CY)

We engage with young people from community-based schools in Harare through our school engagement programme that is currently being implemented on multiple studies. The main objective of this programme is to provide a platform for students with a passion for science to express their ideas and develop projects in a structured fashion as well as to expose them to healthcare and research professionals to inform their career aspirations. The programme chiefly consists of science clubs, science fairs, research field trips and internships for the students that we actively coordinate and provide resources. See the Science Student Handbook (pdf) a(https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2021-06/Science-Handbook-2021.pdf)nd Science Manual (pdf) (https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2021-06/Science%20Manual%20Final.pdf)for more details.

On 28 February 2020, Research fellow, Chido Dziva Chikwari, presented at the UCHI event on sexual health in Mbare in partnership with the Australian Embassy and Global Health Dorcas. The programme included a presentation on:Unpacking Sexual and Reproductive Health for Young People in Mbare; Views through a Gender and Cultural Lens https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VD6vmRa7cdU