Theatre For A Change Takes Interactive Theatre Into Prisons


Theatre for a Change is providing prisoners with sexual and reproductive health education and HIV testing and counselling services as part of a new two year project to reduce HIV infections within marginalised and at risk populations in Ghana.

Funded by the Planned Parenthood Association, through the Global Fund, Theatre for a Change is working in 5 prisons across the Central, Eastern and Volta regions. The organisation are using their unique participatory approach to inform and educate prisoners about HIV and sexual and reproductive health, resulting in over a thousand prisoners being tested in the first quarter of 2014. The infirmaries have noted a marked increase in the number of prisoners coming forward for testing.

At the recommendation of the prisoners themselves, HIV test kits are now available within the prisons on request and Theatre for a Change is on target to reach a total of 3936 prisoners with HIV prevention services by the end of the year.

This activity forms part of a much wider, multi-faceted, campaign that is being run by the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana across 35 prisons in the country. Theatre for a Change will also be implementing their methodology in other prisons involved in the project.

Country Director Johnson Kefome commented, “‘As Theatre for a Change we are very excited to be working in partnership with PPAG to implement this innovative project with prisoners. The last time I had the opportunity to visit one of the prisons I saw how enthusiastic the prisoners were about the programme and I saw how they [the prisoners] are using the methodology to address their risky behaviours. The methodology is very appropriate for HIV Prevention at the Prison level… [the prisoners] are able to use their own experiences to reach others and explore what they could have done differently’

Theatre for a Change is a NGO which uses drama-based workshops and performances to empower at-risk people with skills and knowledge for sexual and reproductive health.

GOAL

To improve the Sexual and Reproductive Health of vulnerable and marginalised groups

MISSION
We use uniquely active and participatory tools that promote Sexual and Reproductive Health and Gender Rights

VISION
We want to see vulnerable and marginalised groups empowered with knowledge, awareness, and skills to positively transform their lives and the lives of others at local, national and international levels

For more information please contact:
Catriona Cahill, Communications Officer, Theatre for a Change

ph: + +233 (0) 502058117 e:[email protected]


Catriona Cahill
Theatre for a Change
www.tfacafrica.com

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