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Alertos da Vida, a Portuguese language participatory media group, uses theatre, radio and print to raise awareness around HIV/AIDS and human rights. The group was formed out of a need to address these issues in a Portuguese language setting. Because of the current economic situation in neighbouring Moza mbique, Johannesburg has become a target for thousands of Mozambicans looking for work. However, many of the people coming into the country speak little or no English, and only enough Zulu or other South African language to get by from a day to day basis. Because of this language barrier, current information campaigns and initiatives are not reaching this community.
Khuluma Africa! - Live Theatre about human trafficking
For the International
Organization for Migration's Southern African Counter-Trafficking
Programme's, CMFD was
contracted to create a community theatre production to raise awareness about
human trafficking issues in South Africa, as well as direct victims of trafficking
to the IOM helpline.
The production was performed in Portuguese by the Alertos Da Vida
youth group, with some
dialogue in Shangana, English, and Zulu. Though the production focuses
on trafficking and migration, it incorporates a variety of related
issues such as women’s rights, gender and migration and HIV/AIDS. This
unique and dynamic show combining music, drama and dance, and
discussion was performed in 20 diverse venues, including mine hostels,
clinics and public parks. Dealers - Radio Serial Drama
Building
on the Alertos projects, for the IOM, CMFD is developing a 13-part
serial radio drama to explore issues related to human trafficking, in
Portuguese, for Mozambican and Zambian
audiences. Each episode will be 20 minutes in length, and be produced
to a high quality broadcast standard. Through drama and engaging
storylines, the series will raise awareness about human trafficking and
related issues, as well as communicate specific
knowledge and skills, such as how to recognise suspicious offers, and
what resources are available to turn to for help. The main story will
focus on human trafficking, while related issues, identified in collaboration
with IOM, will be weaved into the story.
The International Organization for
Migration
approached Alertos da Vida to do a series of short radio spots on human
trafficking
awareness. After discussions and role-plays on human trafficking and
how
it specifically affects young women, the group created, wrote,
translated
and voiced several public service announcements. Written as a
mini-drama,
each announcement looks at a different situation, and is designed to
encourage
people to get as many facts as they can before they decide to leave
home.
The dramas include instances where a domestic worker is forced to have
sex
with her boss, women promised modelling opportunities are sold into the
sex
industry, and a young farm worker is denied his promised pay and must
return
to Mozambique with nothing. The spots were produced for distribution to
radio
stations in Mozambique, and were officially launched in October 200545 Minutos Para Alertar: 45 Minutes to Alert
Alertos da Vida’s first play deals with HIV/AIDS awareness and the importance of safer sex and condom use. Prior to writing the script, the group conducted field research within the Mozambican community to find out what the major issues and concerns were. This research was used to inform the messages in the play, which was written and workshopped by the group members, and has been performed at community venues in Johannesburg’s Portuguese neighbourhood.
Currently, the group is working on turning the play into a Portuguese language comic book that can be sold and distributed to individuals, as well as to organizations that wish to reach out to the Mozambican community but do not have the resources to do so.