ABSTRACT

Abstract

The study aimed at investigating to what extent traditional hand drawn Illustrations could be used in creating awareness about HIV/AIDS when organised in form of a tool. Many community-based awareness strategies have used awareness channels such as radio, posters, billboards flip charts and illustrations to ensure that community behavior is modified towards HIV/AIDS. No known organisation has organised illustrations into a tool to educate communities about HIV/AIDS. Nine selected locations in Kampala city were identified were the study was carried out through use of focus group discussions, interviews and participatory observation. Culture was found to play an important role in hand-drawn visual production. It was found that visual literacy amongst communities varies. Illustrations which intend to communicate a primary and important health message should be stand alone images with a lot of simplicity in terms of line and composition. It was concluded that Illustrations arranged into tools and used at interpersonal level enhance learning and opening up amongst communities. This makes the reflections on the method employed in this study particularly relevant to HIV/AIDS message developers and researchers wishing to achieve meaningful community involvement in communication materials production. It was recommended that those who intend to study communities should realise that they are studying a complex system which would not readily respond to traditional questions posed to them. Communities would always want to answer according to what they think you want them to answer. Others will keep what they perceive to be group secrets to themselves. Hand drawn illustrations are a remedy to all this complexity because they were found to entice respondent's resourceful comments and help in probing for community perceptions.

Keywords: HIV/AIDS; Illustration; Tools; Community.