The usefulness of community theatre in HIV/AIDS education

Abstract

Summary provided by author:

Where must... [we] start if we have to address development effectively to our communities? More and more people became confronted with this question over decades. Yet some have not even come closer to the answers and solutions. This is in many cases a result of introducing our world view to the local people rahter than getting to know them and start from them. This is a major problem all over which is undemcratic and therefore manifests itself in programme development and policies to address human development in the developing countries

This study aims to narrow... [this] gap with specific focus on Namibia. Where programme development and strategies clearly reflect the power relations between decision makers and the grassroots for which this programmes are meant... The approaches that are used disregard the grassroots and simply perpetuate and represent the response of the developers which is participation culturally insensitive and thus not people centered

The study reviews the relation between community theatre, culture and development to re-address the significance of grassroots participation in addressing development. Yet, at the end to show how culturally sensitive methods of communication can be effective in HIV/AIDS education. Therefore community theatre was used as subject matter and linked to HIV/AIDS. Theatre method is used to encourage community involvement and action on HIV/AIDS