We published our NEW Malaria poster today!
From the desk of Clare Hanbury…
When I go around the world I often ask teachers and other educators what would help and support them best in their health education work. In particular, work where they are getting children on their feet; helping them to understand, take action and reflect on what THEY can do to help prevent Malaria, prevent HIV, prevent Intestinal Worms, prevent Diarrhoea or PROMOTE a good diet and the happiness and development of young children etc…
and what they tell me is… “we want POSTERS!“
and with a bit of arm twisting they will also say… “and STORYBOOKS!”
This is because teachers already KNOW how to use posters and storybooks and they feel confident and comfortable with them. Many, if not MOST, of the teachers I’ve worked with are much BETTER storytellers than me as they are more practised. It’s a part of what they do in classrooms, especially in communities where televisions, and even radios, are scarce.
Give teachers a beautifully crafted Teacher’s Guide and you can almost hear the inward groan! This is because a Teacher’s Guide means they have to take the time to read it, to grasp something new and unfamiliar and battle to find time for the new lessons or the new activities. There will be have to be meetings between management and staff to discuss how to fit new things in to an already overcrowded curriculum and they will be afraid to fail.
As part of a well-planned programme A Teacher’s Guide can be GREAT, most especially when they are endorsed by the government. They come along with high-quality training (preferably a series of training sessions) and teachers feel that they will be recognised for this new good practice around this unfamiliar content or approach.
But posters and storybooks need very little introduction and have the capacity to spark creativity in educators as they plan ways to share the story, show of the poster and ultimately, help children learn the messages. There are many mini ‘touch points’ in the day when educators can work with children, getting them to stand up and talk about a poster or share a page or two of a story and then discuss it with their friends. It’s light, fun work for the teacher and the children, but this does not mean it lacks depth!
TODAY we are launching our new poster on Malaria. On the front, everyone can read the messages and look at the cartoons and on the back, they can read the FAQs on ‘How to use the Poster’. You can download the poster for free now!
Do let us know what you think too – contact us!
You can download more posters, storybooks and other great resources for FREE here!
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About the Children for Health Malaria Poster
We have been delighted to work over many months with a range of health education and malaria experts all over the world. Read below what they are saying about the final poster. If you want to add your voice to theirs, please send us your comments.
The simple yet effective messaging in this poster has the potential to transform lives one child at a time!
Mamsallah Faal-Omisore, Family Physician/Health Educator, Lagos, Nigeria
Children are the future of the world. Health education of children about disease prevention is the way to go!
Looking at this poster made me think of the time when I was a junior resident doctor years ago. It reminded me of the children who were admitted in our paediatrics ward in KWS Hospital, Lady Hardings Medical College, New Delhi, India. They were suffering from high fever, chills and would break out in sweats. We were trying to save their lives. They had been exposed to mosquitoes that carry the malaria infection. Following month I too was down with high fever and chills. My personal and professional experience tells me how important it is to prevent and treat malaria to be able to eradicate it. Effective prevention with use of bed nets, mosquito control measures including maintaining clutter free dry living spaces are important.
As a global health professional, I fully appreciate and support all the hard work put in the creation of this poster. It’s a very good beginning towards health education of children for prevention and treatment of a terrible disease. I hope that, malaria will be eradicated in near future by effective prevention and treatment.
Shabina Hussain, MBBS, DPH, MPH, Independent Global Health Consultant, Tumwater, WA 98512, USA
The potential impact of this poster on malaria control cannot be underestimated. Enlightening children on malaria prevention activities will positively influence the whole society.
OTUN, Idris O. Research Scientist, Malaria Research Unit, Department of Pure and Applied Zoology, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, South-Western Nigeria
Children for Health’s 10 messages series is a fantastic resource for organizations working to improve healthy behaviors and practices in low income settings globally. I have no doubt this new malaria poster will help empower children with basic knowledge on malaria, how they could protect themselves and their families, and be the agents of change in their communities helping save lives.’
Zaeem Haq MBBS MPH FRSPH, Head of Technical – East & Southern Africa, Malaria Consortium