Inades-Formation Burkina mobilized the Radnêré theatrical troupe for a forum-theater performance benefiting the population of the village of Boulma in the commune of Yako, northern region of Burkina Faso. This activity, which took place on October 31, 2024, aimed to raise awareness of the effects of climate change on health. It is part of the Health Resilience and Community Adaptability to the Impact of Climate Change (RSAClim) project.
Mosquito proliferation due to stagnant water, an upsurge in diarrhoeal diseases and a drop in agricultural productivity were the main subjects addressed in the forum-theater performance. The various scenes played out were designed to show the links between human behavior, environmental degradation and people’s health.
“This piece taught me a lot. I knew that the heat was increasing, but I wasn’t aware that it could lead to illness. Now I know I have to act to protect my family,” says Mariam Ouédraogo from the village of Boulma.
As required by the principle of forum theater, spectators were invited to interact with the actors, asking questions and proposing concrete solutions to the problems posed. In this way, participants were directly involved in the search for solutions adapted to their own context, under the enlightened gaze of the health workers on site.
Boulma’s forum theater performance is part of the RSAClim project. Funded by Fondation S, this project aims to build community resilience to the impacts of climate change in ten villages in the commune of Yako. Scheduled to run for two years (2024-2026), the project, in addition to technical and material support, places particular emphasis on raising awareness of good health and environmental practices.
The Radnêré troupe has been asked to provide the same forum theater in ten or so of the villages involved in the project, in order to extend the reach of the awareness campaign.
Julio YAMEOGO and Patrice DA
