Folk Media as Means of Entertainment Education and Community Motivation

This 15-page report provides guidance on setting up folk media projects as a means to entertain and educate, with reflections on the practical experiences of the Family Programmes Promotion Services (FPPS), in Nairobi, Kenya. The report defines folk media and discusses why it is a suitable medium for entertainment education. It maintains that folk media, when used to disseminate development messages within the context of entertainment and community get-togethers, is more successful than mass media. It is more effective in that it uses a familiar medium and local language, passes on relevant messages, addresses local issues, needs and problems, uses local talent, artists and available resources, is cheaper than print, projected or electronic media, and exploits local creativity and enthusiasm.

The report provides steps necessary for initiating folk media activities, including questions that a planner needs to ask first. It is easier to initiate folk media activities where there is a project base, providing support and people who need and are willing to participate and the report lists relevant considerations, when choosing such a base. The role and duties of the project coordinator are mentioned, as well as those of the group participants. The success of the activities will depend on the involvement of local community leaders, community acceptance, participation and support, and use of community resources.

The report continues by advising on formal and informal, human and material community support involvement required. It provides step-by-step guidelines on implementing folk media, providing questions to consider and reflection on FPPS experiences. The 11 suggested stages are:

1. Preliminary planning (set project objectives, identify target audiences and organise a media strategy)
2. Identify and organise a folk media committee
3. Identify troupe leaders
4. Identify and develop messages
5. Translate messages into scripts
6. Form a train troupes
7. Prepare for performance
8. Plan for performance
9. Hold public performances
10. Monitor and evaluate outcomes
11. Continuity of group activities.

The report wraps up, commenting on the need for impact assessment at two levels (while the performance is in progress and some time later) and suggestions on how to carry it out. It reflects on challenges to the medium and lessons learned. It comments that in all areas where FPPS folk media performances were staged, an increased up take in family planning methods ensued. There was increase in the level of awareness on integrated health issues, which made communities open up active discussions and lobbying activities. In September 2004, some groups were still active. Some included folk media activities in their institutional programmes for financial support and sustainability. It concludes that folk media was a success in enhancing public/private sector integrated reproductive initiatives in Kenya and can thus be replicated in other countries.



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