Aim:

To use arts based workshops to strengthen communities and deliver lessons on health topics in a fun and memorable way in the Lower Napo and Amazon River.

Objectives:

1. Theatre, music, and art will be mixed with relevant health topics and will be provided to several communities with a focus on children and adolescents

2. General knowledge of violence, environmental health, and physical health will be made more memorable by introducing play and fun

3. Children will be introduced to the basic concepts of music, the importance of self-expression and how to create and play instruments

4. Songs and activities (such as songwriting, rapping) about relevant health topics will strengthen communities and ideally be upheld by the coordinators or promotors of the communities

Methods: 

This project will be working with:

1. 8 communities located along the lower Napo river, which have previously been introduced to the project director by the GAP project and DB Peru. These communities will be visited to receive a one-time arts based workshop on violence facilitated by the health promotors of each community. The health lessons provided will target all age groups and focus on the topic of violence awareness and prevention.

2. 1 community which is located along the lower banks of the Amazon River near Iquitos. This community receives support from a social organization called Proyecto Iquitos in form of daily arts based workshops for children and adolescents.  These workshops consist of theatre, music, and dance and are held by volunteers 5 days a week. The school at Proyecto Iquitos offers a variety of materials (arts and crafts, costumes for theatre) for the after school program, however there is a big short coming in percussive and acoustic instruments.

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