PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
We believe in creating a dialogue with the communities with whom we work.
Winner, Journal of Adolescence COVID19TEEN Competition, 2021
The Art of Ageing is a Wellcome Trust funded public engagement project that shines a spotlight on the ageing experiences of 60 + year olds in Zimbabwe and The Gambia through creative projects. This project aims to give older people a voice to express their opinions and experiences about ageing. It promotes innovation and ideas towards well-being in older age, and aims to combat ageism.
Visit the Art of Ageing website for more information.
The Art of Health is a Wellcome Trust funded initiative in partnership with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, which draws on the power of the creative arts (music, drama, art and dance) to effectively engage young people on matters pertaining of health and well-being.
It was piloted as a competition in Hatcliffe (Harare), Hopely (Mashonaland East) and Pelandaba (Bulawayo) in 2020 and grew into a national competition in 2021 which received 1153 entries.
In 2022 The Art of Health will be showcasing Art exhibitions and a musical theatre production in Harare and Bulawayo.
Visit The Art of Health website for more information.
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, 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.
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
COVID-19 Precautions for Health Workers
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) and Science Manual (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