Dear Carol,

There were many different approaches in different parts of the world. The HIV/AIDS and Trafficking Program that I developed and headed at UNESCO, Bangkok for the Mekong Region was the first in the region to develop a methodology for producing research-based, culturally and linguistically appropriate radio prevention dramas in ethnic minority languages. We produced dramas in about 15 languages. There were also live village based dramas and two TV series.

Dear Carol,

There were many different approaches in different parts of the world. The HIV/AIDS and Trafficking Program that I developed and headed at UNESCO, Bangkok for the Mekong Region was the first in the region to develop a methodology for producing research-based, culturally and linguistically appropriate radio prevention dramas in ethnic minority languages. We produced dramas in about 15 languages. There were also live village based dramas and two TV series.

Kaiser Permanente has an Educational Theater program for primary grades (I used to be the Costume Supervisor there). The show  that was directed at high school age students was HIV/STD prevention. In recent years it has been more directed at STD prevention rather than specifically at HIV. KP ETP shows toured schools mostly, and occasionally other venues like community centers, but it's a big program- seven regions across the United States. Overview and more information on the program here: https://xnet.kp.org/etp/national/about/index.html

We are doing it in Brazil since the first decade of the epidemic in the mid 80s- among gay men and in schools, at least. It is the Brazilian tradition of Paulo Freire pedagogy and Boal's theatre of the oppressed (suffering a huge back lash in the last two years). 

Vagner Almeida did it among gay men and we did it in schools.

Vera Paiva

Thank you David, Kara and Vera for responding to my question.

I am very encouraged by your sharing of knowledge and experience. 

@ David, thank you for pointing out the diversity of approaches in different parts of the world and making the UNESCO link. I found this paper that you wrote useful ' Targeting,  inclusion and equity: Using culturally appropriate communication to reduce risks of HIV/AIDS, human trafficking and non-traditional drug abuse among minorities'

@ Kara, thank you for directing me to the work that has and is being done in the USA - I found the 'Our history' section of the paget instructive

@ Vera, thank you for illuminating the roots of participatory drama in Latin America. Whilst, I have been aware of these roots (as I am using the work of Freire and Boal to inform my theoretical and methodological design) - your answer has helped further focus my reading and direct me to other Latin American researchers, such as yourself. Your chapter  - Paiva, V. (2000). Gendered scripts and the sexual scene. In R. Parker, R. M. Barbosa, & P. Aggleton (Eds.), Framing the sexual subject: The politics of gender, sexuality and power (pp. 216-239). London, England: University of California Press - is helping inform my thinking and writing. 

Much appreciated!

if you send me your email I can forward a paper we wrote on this in Zimbabwe - [email protected] 

Thank you. I have just send an email through.