Talking Rural Talking Rural Education- Through Education- Through

Audio/Visual Audio/Visual Technology: Health Technology: Health

SANGONET Technology ConferenceJohannesburg

1-3 November, 2011

The Context in Southern Africa

Realities of Literacy Levels:• Threatens nearly 900 million adults

worldwide

• 1 in 5 adults are illiterate globally

• 2/3 of them are women CBCW/HBCW

• Low literacy rates concentrated in 3 regions:

South and West AsiaSub-Saharan AfricaArab States

• Africa has less than 60% literacy rate

• India alone has over 440 million illiterate citizens

*please note: all people in the pictures used have given their permission to use the pictures

Why a concern?

• Growing national debt• Unemployment shift• Increased poverty• Low education budgets• Disease outbreak and

control

• Overshadow importance of national literacy

Consequences of Low Literacy

• Understanding of medical procedures

• May not read or understand prescriptions

• Difficulty in navigating the health system

• Confusion of medical regimen

• Illiteracy is a potentially life-threatening health issue

Context and Relevance:Health Care

• South Africa experiencing critical health care crisis

• Pandemics – HIV and AIDS; TB

• Severe lack of resources and trained medical staff

• Focus is on rural areas – vulnerable and disadvantaged communities

• Challenges in health promotion, treatment, compliance and behaviour change

The Need for Real Solutions:• Pamphlets and brochures are no

longer effective considering the global illiteracy levels

• Challenge is the need to develop communication technology that brings health information to the people

• Introducing an innovative and effective communication tool in indigenous languages too

• Country specific needs assessment for health care information, education and communication materials.

• Containment of new infections and epidemic diseases

The Innovative Tool: The Speaking Book

• Hard-covered

• Colourful local illustrations

• 16 pages

• 30-second soundtrack per page

• Multi-Lingual Focus– Appropriate languages for

the South Africa and the region

• Role Models for soundtrack

Advantages of “Speaking Books”

• Visual messages accompanied by sound are more effective at conveying accurate messages

• Messages are heard as well as seen and easily retained

• Health messages appeal to several senses and help focus attention

• In the absence of trained personnel, the tool empowers self-education in local languages • Speaking Books open discussion on stigmatized health care issues

• Open dialogue in privacy

• The concept and tool is not dependent on electricity or transmission range, appropriate for disadvantaged communities.

• Can be replayed as often as required to reinforce the message

• The tool may offer answers to questions that Health care professionals are unable to respond due to shortage of human resources

• Speaking Books are user-driven: the audience can play and re-play the message at any time, at their own pace

• Messages are understood, relevant and readily available

• Battery availability is easily accessible to the target communities

Speaking Books for Health • TB, Malaria, HIV & AIDS, Depression, No

Smoking, Substance Abuse, Immunisation, Hypertension, The Safe Use of Medicines,

• Distributed through Home-Based Care Workers and Health Promoters during capacity building workshops

• Communities empowered to look after and be responsible for their health as their health is their responsibility

• Address stigma and discrimination

• Provide support where health workers are limited

• Partners: Department of Health, Department of Social Development, EU, Global Fund, Malaria No More, NERCHA

Speaking Books for Children• “Suicide Shouldn’t be a

Secret”, “Child Headed Households”, “Be Safe Little One”, “What you need to know about HIV/AIDS”, “Coping with HIV/Aids”, “My Body My Choice” and “Safe Disclosure”

• The Speaking Book is free standing and effective

• Partnered with: Department of Education, Department of Health, NERHCA, REPSSI, Olive Leaf Foundation and Africare

Speaking Books for Empowerment:

• “Caring for your Child-Headed Household”• “A Grant is your Right”• “Caring for you the Caregiver”

• Partners with: Department of Social Development, Department of Health, the EU and the Global Fund

Other South African Languages

IsiZulu Sepedi

Sesotho IsiXhosa

Replicability in Other Countries:

Swaziland (English) Kenya (KiSwahili)

Mozambique, Angola The Americas:

(Portuguese) Argentina, Mexico, The USA

(English and Spanish)

Rotavirus Vaccine

Safe Disclosure to Children with HIV and

AIDS

China USA (Mandarin)

Rotavirus Vaccine Children’s Diabetes

Distribution of the Tool

• Research has shown that each book reaches a minimum of 27 people

• Multiplier effect, cost effective and impact

• Local reach and Access: clinics, hairdressers, taxi

ranks, taverns, women’s clubs, weddings, bus stations, churches, mines, football games

• “They are wonderful tools to reduce the stigma of mental illness and promote awareness of mental health, and I am pleased to have them”

(Former US First Lady Rosalyn Carter)

• “I keep thinking about these simple ‘talking books’ that can be adapted to any subject or language for any low literacy population. What a terrific way to get important information to them”

(Barbara Kazden, Co-Director ASHOKA)

• “When finances are limited and literacy poor, the Speaking Book provides an inexpensive way to disseminate valuable information at a low cost”

(John Hopkins Media/Materials Clearinghouse)

Endorsements

Contact Details

Thank You

Elizabeth Matare

Chief Executive Officer

+27 11 262 6396

E-mail: operations@anxiety.org.za

www.sadag.co.za

www.booksofhope.com