DONOR: Office of International Cooperation of the Principality of Monaco and UNICEF Bosnia and Herzegovina
DURATION: September 2010 – December 2010
LOCATION: Bosnia and Herzegovina
OVERALL GOAL: To raise awareness among children in Bosnia and Herzegovina on the danger of mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO).
SPECIFIC GOALS WERE:
1. to empower children with the knowledge and skills that will enable them to acquire safer behavior concerning mines and unexploded ordnance,
2. to raise awareness about the importance of continuous education about the dangers of mines and to encourage children and adults to participate in the MRE activities
3. to influence on the formation of positive attitudes toward child victims of mines and disabled persons,
4. to give children some guidance on how kids can help the process of integration of children with physical disabilities in society, in different social groups,
5. to send to the children, their parents and other TV audience, accurate information about the dangers of landmines.
BACKGROUND, IMPLEMENTED ACTIVITIES AND OUTCOMES:
Research was done on the state level during 2008, about the impact of mines on Bosnia and identified 1631 affected communities. It is estimated that the mine-affected communities directly affect the safety of 920,000 people. Out of that number 154,000 people live in highly endangered local communities, 342,000 people live in medium affected local communities and 424,000 people living in low affected local communities. This means that Bosnia and Herzegovina belongs to the group of several most severely affected countries in the world.
Through TV puppet shows, Genesis Project had the opportunity to enter small rural communities and meet with children living in rural areas of Bosnia and Herzegovina, offering them, in addition to education, entertainment, pleasure, something sophisticated and cultural. Television is a powerful medium that can be used to send educational messages to the general population, and it provides access to rural parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Genesis Project, in the period envisaged for the project, produced 5 TV shows for children on the subject of the mine danger. TV shows for children concerning the mine risk education were broadcasted on selected television stations in Bosnia and Herzegovina. An evaluation was also conducted among children in BiH about the impact of educational TV shows. Report on the impact proved significant increase in the level of the knowledge and awareness before and after children have seen educational TV puppet shows.
