Twin Angels

This "edutainment" initiative draws on two core communication channels - television and visual arts - in order to tell a dramatic, highly emotional story that, it is hoped, will captivate and engage audiences to take action to support women's health. Twin Angels follows the story of NiNi and YiYi, twin sisters who marry at 18 and move away from their village. At 28, NiNi dies of pregnancy complications while carrying her sixth child. On learning of his sister-in-law's death, YiYi's husband changes his mindset and starts to mobilise the community to protect the lives of mothers. The drama shows the importance of antenatal care, and demonstrates that even a simple bullock cart ambulance can save lives by getting women to a health facility in time. Particular emphasis is placed on situations in which pregnant women do not receive adequate family care and health care services during and after pregnancy. In short, the drama tells a very personal story in an effort to encourage actions that reduce maternal mortality and increase male involvement in, and community support for, women's health.

Specifically, in May and June 2005, the JOICFP team delivered practical, on-the-job training to Central Health Education Bureau (CHEB), Department of Health Planning, and Ministry of Health staff. The technical trainees learned how to read a script, use a picture board, as well as camera, sound, lighting and shooting techniques, and shooting on location management. Managerial staff learned how to communicate key messages through content development, script writing, and appropriate dialogue. (JOICFP hopes that, based on this training, CHEB staff will be able to produce additional materials on their own initiative). Shooting for the television drama was conducted using professional actors in a township close to Yangon; the first of 48 total broadcasts of Twin Angels began airing on the 2 national Myanmar channels of MRTV and Myawaddy TV in January 2006, and were expected to conclude after 12 months.

The printed materials take the form of a "picture theatre" which involves painted pictures accompanied by a narration. (This is a JOICFP approach that has been used to prevent HIV/AIDS in Africa.) JOICFP claims that the materials are inexpensive, easy to use by volunteers, require no special equipment for the message to be delivered, and have a high emotional impact that generates discussion. The picture theatre will be used by frontline health promoters, both adult and youth volunteers, who conduct health education and peer education sessions in their villages. The idea is that the picture theatre could become an entry point to their sessions, and that dialogue will follow on safe motherhood and action to be taken to reduce risks and dangers associated with pregnancy and delivery.

Safe Motherhood, Reproductive Health.

Launched in 1968, JOICFP is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) promoting international cooperation, conducting research, and carrying out projects in the fields of population, reproductive health and rights, family planning, and maternal and child health.

Twin Angels was undertaken as part of the United Nations Population Fund - UNFPA - Special Programme of Assistance in Myanmar, which is an effort to build the technical capacity of national counterpart agencies on BCC tools production for advocacy. JOICFP claims that Twin Angels is relevant to any country in Asia where early marriage and unsafe motherhood are still critical issues.