Storytelling Lab

As part of our efforts to raise awareness on the causes of bilharzia and ways to prevent it, we have introduced the concept of the Bilharzia Storytelling Lab.
The lab builds on the human-centered design thinking approach, developed by Dalberg, a mission-driven communications and experience consultancy, which seeks to empower and mobilize people to solve global development challenges by collective, sustained action. Our approach puts the risk group at the core of the solutions development. Throughout three weeks, the participants work with local experts from the creative sector, health organizations and non-profits to ensure solutions are rooted in reality.

Last year’s Bilharzia Storytelling Lab took place in Kigali, Rwanda from 28th of November until December 2nd. This creative workshop gave innovative Rwandan storytellers the opportunity to contribute to the prevention of bilharzia in their country. During five days the lab provided the participants with an immersive experience giving them the ability to learn from health experts and organizations as well as connect with non-profit organizations around the world. The winning solution of the Bilharzia Lab 2022 developed a specially designed school notebook. which features information on schistosomiasis. The aim is to inform both children and parents and ultimately change behaviors to avoid getting the disease.

The Winning team was announced on the last day and has the chance to realize their project with 10.000 Euro awarded by Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany.

Six teams, consisting of 20 Kenyan community leaders and storytellers worked on the challenge and developed innovative tools to raise awareness on bilharzia among risk groups. The three main risk groups as defined by WHO are domestic and agricultural workers and school-aged children. These are the three risk groups that the lab addressed in developing storytelling projects to ignite behavioral change. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic the Storytelling Lab was rolled-out virtually. The concept of a card game to educate young children through playful learning was selected as the best project and received our support for implementation.