"The Puppet as a Health Ambassador"
Workshop in Nepal 2014
by
PUPPETEERS WITHOUT BORDERS
Puppetry in Health Education
Basic medical information is essential to prevent diseases in developing countries. Using puppets to convey this medical knowledge is a powerful educational tool.
On September 2014 Dr Avigail Mayani and Mrs. Nofar Ben-Arye, had the privilege of working in Kathmandu, Nepal.
For 12 days they were exposed to more than 250 people (7 organizations) from different communities, from the disadvantaged neighborhood on the river banks to the high exclusive societies such as the Rotary Club in Lalitpur, Kathmandu.
The workshops were addressed to professional workers from various communities, among them teachers, nurses, social workers, early childhood workers and women of the empowerment groups in evening schools.
Dr. Mayani introduced the medical information and Ms. Nofar demonstrated with puppets the methods to pass medical information.
Together, they guided the groups and participants on how to create their own puppet shows and how to transfer their own relevant messages to their audience.
Medical issues discussed: Hygiene and Sanitation, Family planning, Contraception, Puberty and Maternal Mortality in the Third World.
Collaboration with these organizations has been successful and the atmosphere was good and pleasant.
The workshops where composed with the help of Rochi Dan, edu-puppeter and co-founder of" Puppeteers without borders"- A Puppet theater artist, theater director, teacher and puppetry consultant.
Facilitators:
Rochi Dan,
is an Edu-puppeteer and co-founder of
"Puppeteers without borders".
A Puppet theater artist, theater director, teacher and
puppetry consultant.
Rochi Dan has been teaching puppetry to art and theater
students, to teachers, social workers, nurses, therapists
and children for many years. She has been creating and
facilitating educational programs in developing countries
Puppeteers Without Borders
An international organization promoting growth, change and
conflict-resolution through puppetry
The vision of Puppeteers Without Borders is to empower
communities around the world to confront difficult issues through
the magical art of Puppetry.
Nofar Ben-Arye,
is an Israeli art , ecology and
science teacher, holding a B.Ed degree in
democratic education.
Nofar is an artist, puppeteer and a workshop instructor for
environmental education. The workshops are for teachers
and adults, as well as children of all ages.
Her workshops combines art, Edu- puppeteer,
environmental education and guided imagery.
Nofar traveled to Nepal, as part of an educational and
environmental program with the organization “Tevel Be
tzedek”.
As part of the project, she used puppets while worked with
local teachers and educators, college students and school
children.
TEL: +972-547-393-006
Dr Avigail Mayani,
an Israeli Obstetrician Gynecologist
collaborating with "puppeteers without borders" facilitating
workshops on Health education.
Dr. Mayani is devoted to the idea of educating
communities on how they can help themselves.
She has seen the success of the village health team
courses in Uganda, Africa where community members
have treated medical cases and promoted health
education
TEL: +9722-5335148
Puppet Making Workshop
Enhancing Creativity and Improving Communication
Sep. 2013
Theater and the use of puppets have always been sources of pleasure and enjoyment, games and fun; but in fact they are simultaneously a form of personal expression, creativity and an effective tool for experiential learning of communication skills.
Puppets have been recognized as a valuable tool, used in different educational and therapeutic frameworks such as: work with the elderly, trauma patients, special education students and the instruction of materials that are difficult to teach in conventional ways. We can use puppets as way of enriching our children with different content, engaging them and gaining their cooperation through games, in topics they might struggle with otherwise.
How do we do it?
Theatre puppets can be used in two techniques:
The first method involves an adult who operates the puppet, communicating with a child. In this way conversations can be facilitated in an experiential way, focused on educational curriculum, enrichment topics or issues that are complicated or difficult to grasp. The child can open up to the adult through this dialogue, while the adult steers the conversation.
The second technique allows for the child to create his/her own puppet and operate it. This allows for expression of the child's inner world, it often exhibits the difficulties they are dealing with, and exposes forces shaping personal perception. This method allows for an open dialogue, along with development of language, creativity and unleashing the imagination.
Working with groups
Working with groups of children through Puppet Theater contributes to building a cohesive group. Kids within the group develop patience, listening abilities and respect toward their peers. They enhance their abilities to speak in front of a crowd, gain confidence and self esteem.
Drawing from personal experience, every child eventually wants to operate the puppet and make his/her own voice heard. Children are always excited to share their ideas and inventions with others, they enjoy working together and using their hands to create something new.
Making the puppets -
Preferably from reusable materials!
Puppets can be made from many different materials. In fact, anything can be turned into a "speaking" puppet – the eraser at the end of your pencil, a pinecone with play-dough eyes attached, or a constructed puppet made from reusable materials – all can make a wonderful puppet and partner for conversation. This way we can be creative and enjoy, while not harming our environment.
During my undergraduate studies of Education (focused on Ecological and Environmental Education), I developed a method for using theater puppets as a teaching tool for environmental topics. Lessons included how to reduce, reuse, recycle and fix things (rather than throw them away) and more…
Puppet construction relies on different reusable materials. The puppet-making process develops fine motor skills, which in this day and age are increasingly degraded in an evolving technological environment. Sketching, cutting and sewing are just a few examples of skills we rarely utilize and develop these days. Once the puppets are made, students follow instructions on how to operate them.
Hands-on puppetry workshops,
for children and the environment
I currently lead workshops all around the country and in different settings – birthdays, family gatherings, teacher and educator workshops, to name a few. The workshops include a presentation on garbage, pollution and the environment, a puppet making session, an exhibit of puppets that can be made from reusable materials all around your home, and the three most important principles for a puppeteer!
I believe that through the magical world of theater puppets I can help spread awareness and values of environmentalism and sustainability.
I invite and encourage you to join me, experiment, experience, enjoy!
Yours truly,
Nofar Ben-Arye
© Nofar Ben Arye