Mesh Strategic Plan
by Mesh editorialThis article gives a brief introduction to the Mesh Community Engagement Network's Strategic Plan including the theory of change and streams of activity
Project Report: The Art of Health: Creative arts for engagement in Zimbabwe
by Rashida Ferrand, THRU ZIMThe Art of Health is a Wellcome Trust funded initiative by The Health Research Unit Zimbabwe. The project used the creative arts (e.g. music, drama, art and dance) to effectively engage young people on matters pertaining to their health and well-being.
Published Literature: Report on investing in Kenya's creative economy
by The Mawazo InstituteThe Nairobi Ideas Exchange by The Mawazo Institute hosted a roundtable discussion on the opportunities and challenges of scaling Kenya’s creative economy. This report will share key insights and potential next steps for individuals and practitioners looking to attract more funding.
This article describes the In Tune podcast series run by the University of Global Health Equity in Rwanda. The series discusses music and its relation to key factors affecting mental health, including social inclusion and community engagement, coping with stress, depression and anxiety, chronic pain, and psychological trauma as well as self-concept and memory.
Project Report: Using ‘Magnet Theatre’ to engage public audiences with health research in coastal Kenya
by Gladys Sanga, Irene Jao, Joy Kiptim, Alun Iwan DaviesThis project reflection from KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme in Kenya explains how they used Magnet Theatre to engage communities and what they learnt from the process
Project Report: PowerPack of SuperScientists: Reframing gendered narratives to empower female scientists in South Africa
by Maphe Mthembu, Mesh Editorial TeamIn this project from South Africa, funded by the DELTAS Africa CPE Seed Fund, SANTHE researchers were transformed into SuperScientists to empower female scientists and challenge gender narratives that block women’s career progression in science.
Project Report: Creative Arts and Social Inclusion: Engaging communities with substance misuse and HIV in Zimbabwe
by Clement Nhunzvi, Mesh Editorial TeamSubstance abuse and HIV are highly prevalent, complex and often misunderstood conditions among young people in Zimbabwe. Supported by the DELTAS Africa CPE Seed Fund, Clement Nhunzvi and his team in Zimbabwe used a creative arts competition to engage school children (13-20 years) in social inclusion and stigma reduction when confronting substance abuse and HIV in the community.
Project Report: Science-2-Society: Raising future leaders in high schools in South Africa
by Lerato Ndlovu, Mesh Editorial TeamImmunologist Lerato Ndlovu shares her experience of using a play and career talks in a project, supported by the DELTAS Africa CPE Seed Fund, to engage high school pupils in rural South African communities with research and increase their scientific understanding of TB and its treatment.
Project Report: Gown and Town: Increasing retention of high school students to improve adolescent health in Nigeria
by Adesola O. Olumide, Mesh Editorial TeamIn this project, from the Institute of Child Health, University of Ibadan and funded by the DELTAS Africa CPE Seed Fund, viewpoints were shared by adolescents and teachers through a photo exhibition to understand reasons behind high school dropout rates. A stakeholder forum was held to give students an opportunity to voice their experiences and to catalyse better support for high school enrolment and retention, enabling adolescents to make better decisions to improve their health.
Project Report: The Sciback-skit programme: Engaging young people as malaria ambassadors in Kenya
by Trizah Milugo, Mesh Editorial TeamIn this project from the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology in Kenya and funded by the DELTAS Africa CPE Seed Fund, high school students were educated about malaria and scientific research, to inspire them to become ambassadors in their communities, and to go on to have careers in science.
Project Report: Scrutinized: Harnessing adolescence advocacy to end TB in Botswana
by Lucy Mupfumi, Mesh Editorial TeamThis project from Botswana-Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership, supported by the DELTAS Africa CPE Seed Fund, used storytelling and film to explore perceptions and attitudes to HIV/TB in schools in Gaborone, Botswana
Project Report: Community Engagement in the Collaborative African Genomics Network (CAfGEN)
by Thato Vinette Regonamanye, Dr. Mogomotsi MatshabaThe Collaborative African Genomics Network (CAfGEN) is a H3Africa affiliate and National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded study coordinated at Botswana-Baylor Children’s Clinical Centre of Excellence. This article describes their approach to community engagement.
Project Report: Clinical and Genetic Studies of Hereditary Neurological Disorders in Mali
by Guida Landouré, Mesh Editorial TeamThis project used focus group discussions, individual interviews and community meetings to explore stigma around hereditary neurological diseases in Mali.
Project Report: The Genomics of Schizophrenia in South African Xhosa people (SAX) study
by Megan Campbell, Adele PretoriusThe Genomics of Schizophrenia in South African Xhosa People (SAX) study sought to identify genes or mutations underlying predisposition to schizophrenia in the South African Xhosa population. Engagement activities included a Community Advisory Board and a Mental Health Literacy Day.
Project Report: Exploring perspectives on genomics and sickle cell public health interventions in Cameroon
by Kengne Kamga Karen, Valentine Bitoungui, Abagma Mani, Meya Melanie, Ongey Foncham, Marsha Treadwell, Ambroise WonkamThis project used qualitative methods to gather an in-depth understanding of cultural influences on perspectives and attitudes regarding genomic research and public health interventions for Sickle Cell Disease-related complications in Cameroon
The Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa) consortium's Community Engagement Working Group was established in 2015. They have developed preliminary Guidelines on CE to support genetics and genomics research
Project Report: Understanding silenced and gendered health experiences and the impact on access
by Devi Leena Bose, Paromita Saha, Kashma Goyal, Joyeeta Mukherjee, Saif ul HadiThis reports on the The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative's community consultation workshop which aimed to contribute to a better understanding of gender contestations with regards to access to health and participation in biomedical research. They describe how they used body-maps, sharing circles and roadblock/hurdle mapping excercises to explore the topics of the workshop.
This article gives a brief introduction to the Mesh Community Engagement Network's Strategic Plan 2019 - 2022 including the theory of change and streams of activity
Project Report: Right to Food Project - In their Voices
by Elizabeth Kimani-Murage, David Osogo, Hilda Owii, Michelle Mbuthia, Florence Sipalla, Teresia Njoki, Melaneia Warwick, Community Organized Groups, Nairobi“Right to Food Project” was implemented by the African Population and Health Research Center from 2018 to 2019 in urban Kenya. Different participatory visual methodologies were used to engage with the community members on the right to food. These included graffiti and wall murals, digital stories, photovoice, radio shows, human libraries, participatory educative theaters, open air events and community dialogue.
Report: The Explorer Series - Exposing young audiences to the excitement and value of Science in India
by Sarah Iqbal, Yukti Arora, Hina Lateef NizamiThe report describes the DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance's The Explorer Series project, which was a touring speaker event designed to bring the excitement and value of science to school students. It also shares tools and tips for similar work
Report: KEMRI | Wellcome Trust Research Programme: School Engagement Programme
by Alun Iwan Davies, grace mwangoThe KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme's School Engagement Programme (SEP) aims at promoting an interest in science and science related careers amoung students as well as promoting mutual understanding between members of the community and researchers.
Report on the first Hamwe Festival in Rwanda - a celebration of the collaboration between the creative industries and the global health field. The festival featured speakers from across the globe who utilise the arts to make an impact in global health, as well as performances by individuals who represent the synergies between the arts and health fields
Final report and project reflections from 'It’s OK to Talk', an adolescent and youth-focused programme started in 2016, which aimed to increase awareness about mental health and wellbeing, so that more young people feel able to engage in dialogue on mental health.
Project Report: Z Factor: Using themed drama competitions to facilitate conversations on psychosis
by Denford GudyangaAn overview of a project in Zimbabwe engaging communities on mental health stigma and discrimination. It worked to help combat stigma and open up collaborative pathways between the traditional/faith based and medical models of mental health treatment
Project Report: It's OK to Talk: Insights from a Youth Mental Health Public Engagement Programme in India
by Mesh Editorial TeamIt’s OK to Talk is an adolescent and youth-focused programme started in 2016, which aims to increase awareness about mental health and wellbeing, so that more young people feel able to engage in dialogue on mental health, and seek help. The It's Ok to Talk programme comprised three core activities: It's Ok to Talk website, events and workshops, and a social media campaign.
Project Report UPDATE: Science, Art, Community: Building Interactive Understanding of Albinism in Tanzania
by Standing Voice, Mesh Editorial TeamStanding Voice is an organisation that works to support people with albinism in Tanzania. This article explores how one of their projects, which communicates facts about albinism through interactive performances, navigates the cultural complexity surrounding albinism in Tanzania.
Wellcome Trust International Engagement workshop report: Telling Stories: How the public can engage with science (India 2009)
by Mesh Editorial teamThis report is a synthesis of discussions held at the Wellcome Trust International Engagement Workshop: 'Telling Stories'. Points raised touched upon the practical and theoretical challenges involved in translating science to diverse audiences, using creative methodologies in public engagement, and working with diverse and vulnerable groups. This report is a synthesis of the discussions, key points and key questions raised at the workshop.
Literature: Between Vision and Reality: A Study of Scientists’ Views on Citizen Science
by Mesh Editorial TeamThis paper describes a case study, which planned to involve citizen science in an air pollution study. Findings are based on interviews and observations, including a six-month field diary, of ten scientists who engaged in a citizen science project not because they are convinced of its value as an approach to strong science but in order to receive funding for their scientific research.
Examining the use of participatory visual and narrative methods to explore the lived experience of migrants in Southern Africa
by mesh editorial teamThis working paper explores the opportunities and challenges associated with visual research methodologies. The paper draws specifically on a MoVE (methods: visual: explore) project that explored the lived experiences of migrant groups in southern Africa.
Mesh Podcast: Vaccine Hesitancy and Engagement with Dr Heidi Larson
by Mesh Editorial TeamThis Podcast was recorded by the Mesh Team, based on an interview with Dr Heidi Larson from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. In this 30-minute interview, Dr Larson provides her insight into the public health community and the pitfalls researchers and engagement practitioners can find themselves in when working with communities to roll out vaccines.
Mesh Podcast: The Influence of Social Memory on Vaccine Hesitancy
by Mesh Editorial TeamThis short podcast examines the influence of social memory on vaccine hesitancy and explores ways to address some of the issues that arise when researchers engage communities who are hesitant towards vaccines.
Mesh Podcast: How can Engagement Practitioners make themselves more Trustworthy in the case of Vaccination?
by Mesh Editorial TeamThis Podcast explores the power of trust between communities who are hesitant towards vaccines, and the public health community who are delivering immunisation. Dr Heidi Larson gives an in-depth analysis of the pitfalls and challenges in tackling this issue.
Mesh Podcast: Community Engagement in Epidemic Preparedness and Response
by Mesh Editorial TeamThis short podcast examines the role provided by engagement practitioners in preparing for and responding to epidemic outbreak.
Project Report: Wellcome Trust International Engagement workshop report: Trust Me I Am a Scientist (UK 2013)
by Mesh editorial teamThis report is based on conversations that took place at the Wellcome Trust’s fifth international engagement workshop ‘Trust Me I Am a Scientist’. The workshop took place in the UK in November 2013.
Engaging Science Conference Report: Science for all: is public engagement engaging the public?
by mesh editorial teamEngaging Science Conference Report: Science for all: is public engagement engaging the public?
by mesh editorial teamRobin Vincent, Evaluation Consultant, UK gives an introduction to evaluating engagement with particular focus on the Theory of Change approach and how complexity in engagement can be navigated in evaluation.
Project Report: The Lucky Specials
by Mesh Editorial TeamProject Report: Using Traditional Arts to Engage School Students on Environmental Health Issues in Delhi, India
by Rachita Gupta, kartiksharma, Banalata SenOur Environment, Our Health was conceived to raise awareness among school students of India’s pressing environmental health challenges. The approach enabled students to learn, discuss and respond to environmental health issues through a process of creative inquiry and puppetry
Alexander Adadevoh from Lab 13 Ghana demonstrates how creative hands-on activities can be used to stimulate investigation, curiosity, discussion and learning in science.
Workshop Report: Creative science engagement at the Crick and beyond
by Mesh Editorial Team, Jenny JopsonThis article describes and provides the tools to use a card game developed to engage players with the genetics behind malaria susceptibility.
Guide/Project Report: A Question of Taste - Hands-on Demonstration of Genomics
by Mesh Editorial Team, Bella StarlingThis article introduces an activity designed to introduce people to key concepts in genomics.
Science Engagement in Schools: Panel Discussion from 2017 Wellcome Trust International Engagement Workshop
by Editorial TeamThe benefits of running science engagement activities in schools, as well as some of the key challenges of doing so, were explored by a panel of school engagement experts from around the world in this discussion the Wellcome Trust International Engagement Workshop in 2017
Mwangi Chege, participant of the 2017 Wellcome Trust workshop "It’s Complicated: navigating scientific complexity in public and community engagement" reflects on learning from the workshop. In particular, the Kenyan premiere of The Lucky Specials, a feature film designed as both entertainment and engagement with audiences about Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis and the importance of drug adherence.
Project Report: Evaluating engagement: Implications for gender and ethics in health systems research
by Sassy MolyneuxIn this article Sassy Molyneux, a participant of the Mesh evaluating engagement workshop (March 2017), reflects on the learning from the workshop, focusing on points useful for health policy and systems researchers with an interest in gender and ethics.
A participant reflection on the Mesh Evaluating Community Engagement Workshop (March 2017) which aimed to move forward the debates surrounding evaluation by drawing on practical experiences.
Project Report: A puppet show to engage the community addressing antimicrobial resistance and research with children
by Alice Hawryszkiewycz, phaikyeongFishy Clouds, a puppet theatre show, was created to engage the community on issues of antimicrobial resistance and research with children in Thailand. Fishy Clouds ran for twelve shows during the months of November and December 2016 in schools, hospitals, theatres and health centres. The show was performed in Bangkok and in the greater Mae Sot area in the Tak district of Thailand.
Project Report: Samala Moyo
by Malawi–Liverpool– Wellcome Trust Clinical Research ProgrammeSamala Moyo is an interactive exhibition with an outreach component designed to open the Malawi–Liverpool– Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme (MLW) to the local community and creatively explore crucial topics in medical research. The project was developed from a small International Engagement Award-funded pilot project and subsequently received £188,000.
This brief report provides you with an overview of PRIDE’s activities at the Durga Puja Festival in New Delhi, India, to raise awareness among young people about mental health.
Blood Sugars aims to improve understanding of patient and clinician experiences of types 1 and 2 diabetes – particularly in the context of urban South Africa; as well as to improve communication between patients, clinicians and researchers, helping to create a more detailed picture of the condition and how it might be managed more effectively.
Village Drama against Malaria used Cambodian drama, art, music workshops and village concerts to mobilise rural communities to eliminate malaria. This report reflects upon the operations, successes and challanges of the project,
Art is a powerful medium for communication and engagement with science. To create a collaborative project that melds art with research creative practitioners and scientists must be brought together, but these individuals may think differently, have different priorities and work in different ways. This account of Genome Adventures, gives a little insight into the process of bringing different disciplines together and the challanges and benefits that result.
Project Report: Art in Global Health: Report and Video giving Insights and Considerations for Future Artist Residencies
by Sian AggettIn 2013, Art in Global Health set up artist residencies in six Wellcome Trust-funded research centres as a way of teasing out some of the more personal, philosophical, cultural and political dimensions of health research. This exciting project was born out of Wellcome Collection's desire to engage the curious public globally with the health research that the Trust funds - in Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam and the UK.
Project Report: Tackling the ‘New Beast’: Mental Health for People Living with HIV
by Nikita Simpson, SHM FoundationA blog post addressing the issue of mental illness amongst people living with HIV and the presentation of the community engagement project Project Khuluma which will be presented at the 21st annual International AIDS conference.
Project Report: Angkor Hospital for Children’s Young Persons Advisory Group
by Claudia Turner, sreymomplAn introduction to the work of the Angkor Hospital for Children’s (AHC) Young Persons Advisory Group, a group of young Cambodians (aged 10 – 15 years) who meet monthly to discuss important operational and research issues arising from the AHC management.
Project Report: Project Khuluma: providing psychosocial support for HIV positive adolescents in South Africa using mobile technology
by Nikita SimpsonA summary and evaluation of the Khuluma project which provides psychosocial support for HIV positive adolescents in South Africa using mobile technology.
Project Report: co-produced exhibition on migration, health and wellbeing in Southern Africa
by Jo VeareyMigration, health and wellbeing in Southern Africa: Co-produced exhibition captures experiences of LGBTIQ migrants and asylum seekers in Johannesburg and migrant men, women and transgender persons who sell sex in South Africa
Project Report: The Vaidya’s Oath: Public Engagement with Microbial Resistance through Drama
by Arundhati RajaA case study of The Vaidya’s Oath project which engaged audiences and school children with antimicrobial resistance.
Case study of a project run by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine which enabled adolescents in Zimbabwe to capture their stories and the stories of others living with HIV.
Information about Citizen Science Reporters (CSR), a group in Southeast Asia that runs workshops to teach community members how to film and edit video documentaries using a smart phone. The videos are then used to explore health issues faced by the community.
A Case Study: In 2012 the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit (OUCRU) was awarded £29,999 from the Wellcome Trust International Engagement Awards over three years to implement an engagement project alongside its Vietnam Initiative on Zoonotic Infections (VIZIONS). The project uses simple digital storytelling techniques to bring to the surface the participants’ ideas about personal and public risk and perceptions of disease and transmission.
Project Report: Dharavi Biennale, Mumbai, India
by Georgia BladonIn 2012 the Wellcome Trust International Engagement Awards supported a project based in the informal settlement of Dharavi in Mumbai, India, one of the largest ‘slums’ in the world. The project gives the local community an opportunity to engage with relevant health issues through a series of art projects, culminating in a large art and health festival in February and March 2015 — the Dharavi Biennale. This work grew out of a successful small award and received £130,000 over three years.