In collaboration with Cambodian authorities and a local Cambodia theatre group, MORU are running the Village Drama Against Malaria project in Siem Pang district, Stung Treng province. This is the third year we are running this project. The project runs from 25th Feb to 29th March 2018 and will be in 10 villages, some of them very remote farming villages with close to the border with Laos along the Sikong river. Most of these villages are remote and populated by Lao and other ethnic minority peoples.
The aim of the project is to create awareness about malaria prevention and early treatment; and infant vaccination using art and theater as engagement tools and leveraging traditional ethnic arts.
The theatre group goes from one village to another conducting art and theatre workshops with village children and young people. They also invite villagers to share their traditional tools, costumes. arts and dances. On the third evening, there is a public performance at the village square where there are games, singing competitions, malaria quizzes, and a comedy sketch about malaria – performed by village children.
The project is led by Nou Sanann (Public Engagement Officer) with support from Pich Kunthea, Tom Peto, Rupam Tripura, James Callery and Phaik Yeong Cheah, and is funded by a Wellcome Trust Provision for Public Engagement grant (supplement).