COMMUNITY
Lung health and the AIR Network
The AIR ( Air Pollution Interdisciplinary Research ) Network in Sub-Saharan Africa uses creative communication methods to discuss , explore and engage with the health and wellbeing issues related to air pollution . Outputs include theatre productions , visual arts , games , storytelling and music . It was first established in the informal settlement of Mukuru in Kenya . AIR projects are funded by the UK Arts and Humanities ( AHRC ) and Medical ( MRC ) Research Councils as part of the Global Challenges Research Fund ( GCRF ).
• airnetworkafrica . com
COVID-19 and the ACT project
The ACT ( Action Against COVID Transmission ) Nairobi project tapped into the trust created in prior engagements in Kenya to assist in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic . Communities and their many talented artists were supported to produce sensitisation materials about infectious disease control . Artistic endeavours also helped to reduce stigma associated with COVID-19 illness and provided a voice for public concerns missed by health authorities , such as police brutality in the enforcement of curfews . It also highlighted benefits associated with enhanced access to free water , which was provided to assist with hand cleaning as a COVID-19 prevention measure . Songs produced by ACT Nairobi to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 have been uploaded to YouTube .
• uni . port . ac . uk / ACT-Nairobi-YouTube
• uni . port . ac . uk / Kaa-Rada-YouTube
• uni . port . ac . uk / ACT-Nairobi-UOP
Ending plastic pollution
The STEPP ( Sustainable Transitions to End Plastic Pollution ) project is a global R & D initiative to help address the more than 300 million tonnes of plastic waste generated annually . It incorporates creative research methods , including participatory mapping , digital storytelling and community consultations , with two poor urban communities : Nairobi , Kenya , and Sylhet , Bangladesh . This project is helping to identify interventions to counteract impacts from plastic pollution within poorer communities . Included are issues related to air pollution from burning plastic ; the loss of farming land from plastic build-up ; and the blockage of sanitation channels by plastics , which in turn promotes outbreaks of flooding , cholera and mosquito-borne diseases . Solutions include supporting small-scale enterprises to operate plastic recycling facilities and working with local artists and musicians to create a range of materials to sensitise the community on how they can reduce , recycle or reuse plastic waste . A powerful example is the MuYI Hub Niwajibu music video at :
• uni . port . ac . uk / Ni-wajibu-YouTube
• port . ac . uk / globalsouthplastic
Exploring the art of action learning
The Tupumue ( Kiswahili : let us breathe ) study aims to find out how many children in two communities in Nairobi , Kenya , have lung problems and to explore children ’ s experiences of lung problems and air pollution . “ Research has shown that many adults in Africa have reduced lung function but no one has yet investigated whether this starts in childhood ,” Dr Bowyer says . Action learning methods involve children in art production , and videos relating to their work have been uploaded to YouTube .
• uni . port . ac . uk / Tupumue-YouTube
Partnerships
This type of research is impossible without the establishment of strong , equitable and effective collaborations with in-country partners . We are privileged to work with the following organisations :
• The Mukuru Youth Initiative www . mukuruyi . org / muyi
• The Flipflopi Project www . theflipflopi . com
• The Amal Foundation in Bangladesh www . amalbangladesh . org
• Friends in Village Development Bangladesh ( FIVDB ) fivdb . org
• The Environment and Social Development Organisation ( ESDO ) esdo . org
Get involved
Aid projects that draw on action research methods and bottom-up community participation can be supported by the public by sharing information , volunteering and by donations to the participating organisations .
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