DRAMA NETWORK
Drama Network is a registered non-profit, non-governmental organization founded in 2002 and operating in Akosombo in the Eastern Region of Ghana.
Their mission is to champion a society where every citizen has equal rights and is able to live in a secure and protected environment which supports quality health and improved standard of living.
Drama Network seeks to achieve this by ensuring that every citizen, particularly the vulnerable and excluded have access to equal rights, quality health and live in a protected environment through collaboration with government, civil society organizations and individual stakeholders.
The organization is founded on the belief that interpersonal communication is very essential to convince people to participate in issues relating to socio economic development. It uses the educational strategy of ‘Theatre for Development’ or social drama to assist in proponents of development projects/topical social issues to educate target communities on the need for community involvement.
In addition, it employs the use of Participatory Rural Appraisal, Participatory Learning Approach and Community Capacity Enhancement Methodology in engaging with stakeholders. Its core areas of work include health, Rights Based Approach, Environmental Protection, Natural Resource Management, Organizational Development and Microfinance.
Over the years Drama Network has been very active in advocating and delivering quality health campaigns such as malaria Education, Joint tuberculosis/HIV Education; Policy, Advocacy and Civil Rights – Exercising for Voice Change, Youth Rights Project, Educating Communities on Functions of Customary Land Secretariat.
DRAMA NETWORK UNDER MWANANCHI
PHASE I
Drama Network under the Mwananchi Project seeks to strengthen the Rights of the Vulnerable to Information (PRIVI). PRIVI is aimed at creating awareness on government pro poor policies for the vulnerable and also to improve communication and information flow among assembly members who are agents of development and their constituents. It was implemented through the use of data (qualitative and quantitative) to empower the vulnerable and excluded to engage directly with duty bearers to ensure their involvement in decision making and policy formulation as well as the implementation and monitoring of decisions and polices that affect them. The project used drama to create awareness and improve information flow between assembly members and vulnerable groups. It was undertaken in the Asuogyaman and Lower Manya Krobo districts in the Eastern Region of Ghana. The targeted groups included the vulnerable and excluded including women, Persons with Disability (PWD), People living with HIV (PLHIV), local farmers and youth.
PRIVI brought together civil society groups, the media, elected Assembly Members and the Traditional Authority to use information and communication processes to promote good governance. PRIVI created awareness on government pro poor policies for the vulnerable. Evaluation of phase I indicates that, the project has help to improved communication and information flow among assembly members and their constituents. These achievements were recorded through partnership/collaboration with stakeholders, learning by doing, greater accountability, intensive monitoring.
PHASE II
Under the Phase II, Drama Network seeks to tackle some gab that manifested during the engagement and interactions with interlocutors and the vulnerable groups in the first phase of the project which includes;
- Low level of knowledge on government pro poor policies among elected representatives, traditional leaders and the media.
- Low capacity of interlocutor to engage ordinary citizens in terms of Rights Based Approach, CGE among others
- Low level of advocacy and lobbying skill on the part of vulnerable groups.
Under the Phase II, Drama Network also seeks to scale up the project to benefit fifteen (15) electoral areas as well as 10 additional vulnerable groups within the project communities. It is anticipated that, the project will further strengthen the support, provided additional platforms and capacity for these interlocutors to share information and dialogue with duty bearers to promote good governance.
The goal is to create an enabling and a sustainable platform that will enhance information flow and effective communication on developmental agenda to the poor and vulnerable in society. This is expected to be achieved by pursuing the following objectives:
- To build the capacity of Elected Assembly Members to effectively use the Manual (Engagement Manual for Assembly Members in Ghana) to engage their constituents on government policies and programmes
- To use existing platforms for vulnerable groups to engage with appropriate duty bearers on government pro poor policies and programmes
- To build capacity of selected media personnel to effective contribute to promoting local development through communication and the share of information.