Submission ID 118305
| Issue/Objective | Nigerian adolescents are rarely consulted about interventions to improve adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH). Within a larger project, we supported adolescents to create and share cellphilms depicting their ASRH concerns. We evaluated the transformative impact of creating and viewing Cellphilms on the adolescents and adult community members. |
|---|---|
| Methodology/Approach | In 30 communities in Bauchi, Northern Nigeria, 540 adolescents, aged 10 to 19 years, in age and gender disaggregated groups, created 120 cellphilms (1-5 minutes videos on a cellphone) about ASRH concerns. They screened them for their parents and community leaders and later participated in community actions to improve ASRH. Five to ten months after the cellphilming, the local research team collected stories from 51 adolescents and 28 adults (parents and community leaders). They asked participants for stories about changes in their lives they attributed to creating and sharing or viewing cellphilms and then participating in community activities. The researchers took notes and confirmed them with the storytellers, then translated the stories into English. One researcher reviewed the stories, looking for patterns and themes. |
| Results | Stories from adolescents described sometimes profound personal changes, such as quitting violent gangs or stopping drug use. Many storytellers described greatly improved communication with their parents. Some talked of becoming agents of change among their peers and families. Boys said they became recognized and respected in their communities. Girls' stories describing becoming less shy and more self-confident after participating in cellphilming and subsequent community activities. Stories from adults suggested they were powerfully affected by viewing the Cellphilms. Parents told how they now communicated more freely with their adolescent children. Community leaders described changes in their communities, with concrete actions such as tackling drug dealers and rehabilitating drug users. Some adults told stories about challenging unhelpful community traditions and norms. They shifted their perceptions about adolescents, now seeing them more as equals. |
| Discussion/Conclusion | The narratives revealed a transformative impact on adolescents of creating and sharing Cellphilms and participating in community activities around ASRH. The stories from parents and community leaders suggested viewing the Cellphilms led to changes in perceptions about adolescents and concrete actions. |
| Presenters and affiliations | Umaira Ansari Participatory Research at McGill (PRAM) Natalia Reinoso Chavez McGill Univeristy Suleiman Abdullahi Federation of Muslim Women Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN) Yagana Gidado Federation of Muslim Women Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN) Hadiza Mudi Federation of Muslim Women Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN) Altine Joga Federation of Muslim Women Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN) Tijjani Muhammed Sidi Federation of Muslim Women Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN) Neil Andersson McGill University Anne Cockcroft McGill University |
