Se Ayisyen Nou Ye! We are Haitians! Using local cultural tools for long-lasting societal change

Session leaders: Dr Fiona de Hoog Cius (Sheffield Hallam University)
 
This session offers an introduction into a grassroots community-led project being delivered in rural communities in Haiti to reduce extreme poverty without external intervention. Using an innovative behaviour change technique called ESK (Edikasyon Se Konvèsasyon – Education is conversation) that has seen great success in reducing child domestic slavery in Haiti, Se Ayisyen Nou Ye! uses illustrated composite stories derived from experiences described in ethnographic interviews to promote community discussion, address taboos and uncover the often hidden motivations behind people’s behaviours. Se Ayisyen Nou Ye! is centred around the philosophical pillars of Haitian society. The project is thus intended to act like a mirror for individuals and communities to self-reflect on whether their behaviours reflect the image of who they believe themselves to be, and who they wish to be. The training element in this session involves reflecting on language and culture as pivotal factors in research designed to generate new knowledge in collaboration with local communities. It will be run by a researcher with extensive experience of working with local communities in rural Haiti and will offer insights from experience in the field.
 
This session will involve group discussions and those who register should be prepared to interact with the session leaders and the other participants. Please note this session will not be recorded. 

This session has been organised by the Institute’s Fieldwork in Languages, Cultures and Societies group, chaired by Prof. Claire Griffiths: https://ilcs.sas.ac.uk/about-us/online-resources/fieldwork-languages-cultures-and-societies

Our events are free to attend, but booking is required. They are held online via Zoom with details about how to join the virtual event being circulated by email to registered attendees 24 hours in advance.