By
Nick Lyndon, Chief Operating Officer
All across Haiti, people are talking about “Zoukoutap”,
the radio drama that is stirring conversations and piquing consciences.
"Right, left, right, left…which way will you choose?” is the opening
theme song for each episode. Zoukoutap discusses, in
entertaining and real life dialogue, issues of gender violence,
restavek, and family planning. Now airing on 42 radio stations across Haiti
with 1.5 million listeners, Zoukoutap is becoming an agent of change.
Produced in partnership with Population Media Center
and Bloom, and based on the Sabido methodology for social change, Zoukoutap
combines entertainment and education to drive changes in behavior. Christina
Guerin, Producer and Creative Director for the radio drama, is masterful in
leading her writing team and creating real life situations that resonate with
the listening audience. Listeners have commented that they listen
because, in their words, “it is our reality”.
In order to engage more listeners and obtain real-time
feedback, Bloom has also created a community theater format. The actors perform
a drama based on the episodes and themes from Zoukoutap. The performances are
moving and engaging, and at the end the audience is asked to participate and
respond to questions related to what they witnessed.
These community theater presentations will
be performed more than 30 times in 4 different “departments” (similar to states
in the U.S.) to approximately 50 people at a time. This means 30 different
communities will get a personal, intimate look at the issue of restavek
and how it is impacting their community and individuals.
We
are encouraged by the audience response and participation and the
possibility of change in communities across Haiti!