Early Childhood Development

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The Children They Are Left With

Country

Zimbabwe

Programme Summary

The Children They Are Left With is a documentary film about a child-headed family and the effects of HIV/AIDS produced by Zimbabwean orphans in Zvishavane. The film was initiated by the STRIVE Project that aims to improve care and support for vulnerable children in Zimbabwe through a variety of different activities such as education assistance, food security, psychosocial support and child protection.

Communication Strategies

The STRIVE Project teaches the children to express themselves through documentary photography and video with the assistance of founder and director of Localfilms, Peter Jordan.

The film documented a child-headed household of four, the Diza family. Jordan spent three weeks living with the Diza children at their home in a southern Zimbabwe village. He filmed the children as they cooked, farmed and played together.

Jordan taught the four children, aged eight to 15, how to use low –cost video cameras. The children filmed scenes of their friends coming home from school, siblings dancing and washing up after a meal. The narration on the documentary is done by the children.

Development Issues

Children, HIV/AIDS.

Key Points

The Children They Are Left With has been screened in the Diza family’s village and at the 2004 National Zimbabwe Conference on Aids 2004, the 2005 Golden Lion Films Festival in Swaziland and the 2005 Zimbabwean International Film Festival (ZIFF).

The film was screened at a Southern Africa HIV/AIDS information and Dissemination Service (SAfAIDS) discussion forum. SAfAIDS also used the film to train journalists on the ethical reporting of issues related to orphans and other vulnerable children.

The film aims to inspire thoughtful discussion about a range of topics, including topics aimed at achieving the Millennium Development Goal (MDG), such as gender equality, combating HIV/AIDS and access to education.The film is available for viewing online .

Partners

Catholic Relief Services, United States Agency for International Development, Archdiocese of Bulawayo, Batsiranai, Bekezela Home-Based Care, Catholic Development Commission - Chinhoyi, Chinhoyi Health Commission, Child Protection Society, Community Technologies Development Trust, Diocese of Mutare Community Care Program, Farm Orphan Support Trust, Farmers Association of Chief/Headmen Investment Group, Hope for a Child in Christ, International Center for Research in Semi-Arid Tropics, Inter-People's Aid, Island Hospice, Kapnek, Linkages for Economic Advancement of the Disadvantaged, Mavambo Trust, Nzeve, Organization of Rural Associations for Progress, Rural Unity for Development Organisation, Tsungirirai, Uzumba Orphan Care, Zimbabwe Association of Church Related Hospitals and Zimbabwe Women's Bureau.

Contact

Hilary Roxe
Communications Officer - Sub-Saharan Africa
Catholic Relief Services


Carolyn Fanelli
Communications and Disseminations Officer for the Zimbabwe programme
Catholic Relief Services
Tel: + 263 4 736 715


Peter Jordan
Localfilms
Durham, NC
United States

Source

Artishake newsletter and an e-mail received from Hilary Roxe on May 17 2006.


Placed on the Communication Initiative site January 16 2006
Last Updated June 12 2009



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