Following the successful Corona coloring book for children in South Africa in the native language isiZulu, Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts and its local partners are implementing the next pandemic awareness project in countries of the global South. An animated film was developed and produced together with orphans.
"The great success of the coloring book(Opens in a new tab) shows that education works in this way and that we can reach local children directly," says Prof. Dr. Michael Boecker from the Faculty of Applied Social Studies at Fachhochschule Dortmund. Together with South African universities, he has been researching issues in the context of the consequences of globalization since 2019. For the project, the process of creating the film was just as important as the finished film itself.
Film also addresses children's concerns
"This resulted in the story of Nsimu," reports Michael Boecker. "She is not a victim of the pandemic, but a heroine who helps her grandmother recover from COVID-19." The film also addresses the worries and fears of children, making them the subject of the film and at the same time conveying how even the youngest children make an important contribution to their families and their circle of friends. That is encouraging.
Prof. Dr. Michael Boecker, Fachhochschule DortmundOur education by children for children is not only helping in the current pandemic.
Orphans lend their voices to movie characters
"Corona has different effects in African countries than in Europe and also requires a different approach," explains Michael Boecker. "Our education not only helps in the current pandemic, but also conveys basic concepts - and that from children for children." The children themselves lend their voices to the characters in the animated film.
The project was financially supported by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)(Opens in a new tab) . Fachhochschule Dortmund successfully presented the concept in an ideas competition. The film will now be shown at more than 100 schools and organizations and will be used by the National Medical Research Institute in South Africa. At the same time, a website was launched for the project: www.uhambolwami.org/projects/.(Opens in a new tab) The film can also be downloaded there. It is available in the isiZulu language with English subtitles.
Success of the coloring book in the native language isiZulu
Just last year, Fachhochschule Dortmund, together with its partners in South Africa and the DAAD, designed and published a coloring book to raise awareness of the pandemic. "It was the first book about COVID-19 for children in the native language isiZulu and the public interest was great," reports Dr. Maud Mthembu from the University of Kwa Zulu-Natal. More than 17 national newspapers from Johannesburg to Cape Town reported on Fachhochschule Dortmund's cooperation project with the University of Kwa Zulu-Natal and local non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The first edition sold out very quickly.
Picture coloring book in the mother tongue isiZulu
Together with his development aid organization "Don Bosco" and the University of Kwa Zulu-Natal, Michael Boecker was able to provide the funds for a second edition.
Like the film, the coloring book aims to teach children about hygiene measures in a playful way. The idea for the picture and coloring book for six to twelve-year-olds was born in the counseling practice, as the pandemic made it increasingly difficult to reach children in the suburbs.
Prof. Michael Boecker, Dr.
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