As the Covid Pandemic continues to cause havoc, a group of Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) in Kiambu County have upped the game by utilizing performing arts to prompt health matters and dissemination of relevant and timely health promotional messages.
Performing a bridge skit and song during the launch of Kenya’s Accelerated Covid-19 vaccination campaign in Kiambu, the over 100 CHVs captured the attention of the public and guests who attended the function which was symbolic and will be replicated in other counties.
UNICEF Kenya Representative Ms. Maniza Zaman expressed her joy saying “I couldn’t get the mother-tongue performance but it was explained to me as the CHVs continued performing. I am glad through such type of art relevant information regarding health apart from Covid-19 are now simplified in a way that residents can easily relate with,” she said while giving her remarks.
After their performance, Ms Faith Gathechia, a Community Health Assistant under the Riabai ward told KNA that they would be coming up with more artistic performances that would involve the CHVs in all wards in Kiambu County where each activity of art would be highlighting and addressing different health issues as a way of drumming the Government directive on the containment measures.
“We are committed to serving the community thus we resolved to use more approaches such as edutainment and infotainment where active participation is encouraged and more thoughtful ways of packaging the messages in a simplistic manner that even a small child can understand,” Gathechia told KNA.
“We are under the public health thus anything relating to well-functioning of a person we try to assist. So far, we’ve been able to engage the community around regarding Covid-19, polio, diabetes, blood pressure, malaria and even Vitamin A campaigns,” the Community assistant added.
Gathechia observed that due to lack of acceptance among some individuals in the community who are dealing with different illnesses, they opted to use some appealing way of engaging them through simple art approaches and at the moment, the outcome has been positive.
She urged more youths who have finished secondary school within Kiambu County, talented and interested in serving the community through any form of performing arts including dance, singing, acting and poetry to reach out so that a wider team is formed to reach more people as they also keep themselves busy in a productive way.
By Jackline Kidaha
