DURBAN - Social Work senior lecturer Dr Maud Mthembu from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) has produced a short animated film for children in about Covid-19.
The 10-minute movie is titled Uhambo lwami ngesikhathi sekhovithi – which means My Journey during Covid-19.
In a statement released by the institution, Mthembu said that the film was based on her book about Covid-19, about the story of 10-year-old Nsimu whose family was affected by Covid-19, and the impact the disease had on them.
The story is told from Nsimu’s perspective, and the target audience is children aged 6 years and above.
The film also has subtitles in other South African languages and will be used by non-governmental organisations from various communities which use the book as part of their work in child protection.
Social workers and teachers used the book as a tool to help children share their own journeys during Covid-19. However, children who could not read were left out unless someone read for them. Therefore, Mthembu came up with the idea for an animated film.
“We noticed that children enjoy watching animation films and saw an opportunity to use the animation as a cost-effective method to reach more children. The animation can also be used as a tool to initiate conversations with children about their personal journeys of living during the time of Covid-19 and to teach children about the virus. We must give children the platform to share these experiences and identify the type and form of support they need,” she said.
Mthembu said that caregivers had experienced a lot of anxiety and distress as a result of Covid-19, and children observed these tensions within the households.
“Caregivers tend to avoid talking about difficult feelings and events because they want to protect them from distress. Other parents do not know how to start such conversations with children. The animation can be used as a starting point to explore personal stories of children and all family members. We must come up with innovative methods to protect the psychological well-being of our children,” she said.
She said that the use of IsiZulu was intentional and as the university they were committed to the promotion of a language that is widely spoken in the province.
“The story that is told in the book and animation is deeply rooted in the socio-cultural context of KwaZulu-Natal. It is therefore our responsibility to ensure that the story is shared in IsiZulu. Children love hearing stories in their language and we want children to grow up with a sense of pride in speaking and reading their language,” said Mthembu.
Mthembu is hopeful to receive additional funding to make more episodes, to continue telling the story and adventures of children through the life of Nsimu.
The animation film will be launched on February 4 via Zoom.
THE MERCURY