SINCE the establishment of Merundoi Incorporated in Guyana some 16 years ago, Guyanese, particularly young people, have been thoroughly entertained and have learned many lessons from its popular radio programme of the same name.

The mission of the organisation is “Modelling, fostering, and reinforcing healthy choices and lifestyles through innovative public education; facilitating positive behaviour change; utilising the creative arts and mass media platforms.” The organisation also facilitates attitudinal and behaviour change related to good health,the environment, economic, social and governance practices.
The Pepperpot Magazine recently sat down with Executive Director of Merundoi Inc, Margaret Lawrence, who noted the significant impact that the organisation has had over the years through its radio programmes, plays and short dramas created with its mandate to effect bahavioural change in mind.

“Our range of interventions has become wider as we have applied our Modelling and Reinforcement Edutainment Strategy to a variety of health and social issues, including HIV/STIs, Gender-based Violence, Chronic Diseases, Sexual and Reproductive Health, Stigma & Discrimination, Human Rights, Governance, Access to Services, Suicide, TB, Parent-child communication, Birth Certificate Registration, Mental Health, Voter registration & Elections participation & Debates and Income Tax compliance,” Lawrence said during the interview.

According to Lawrence, Merundoi is the longest-running radio serial drama in Guyana and the Caribbean. The organisation is involved in community outreach activities as part of our edutainment reinforcement methodology. Participating in and coordinating listening and discussion groups, street (forum) theatre, in-school drama, exhibitions and workshops successfully in all the regions of Guyana have enabled the team to develop appropriate skills.

Lawrence also noted that Merundoi‘s plays and dramatic presentations are written on the basis of research, which, when combined into data, gives accuracy and reality to the drama.
“Listeners are therefore able to identify with the positive, negative and transitional characters. These characters provide models for behaviour change, and the storylines reflect the culture and the support services of the local environment. The reinforcement of the messages is done at the individual and community levels through listening and discussion groups (LDGs), in-school drama, public listening sites and street (forum) theatre,” Lawrence mentioned during her interview.

She also noted that Merundoi’s successful radio drama and street theatre attract sizeable audiences, which ensure their public service activities will generate interest and participation.
Most recently, Merundoi has been engaging in audiovisual productions for vulnerable youths and the disbursement of information on health and social services for Venezuelans.
According to the executive director, the Street Theatre Outreach Programme adopts an interactive approach and creates a safe space where issues and alternatives can be discussed. It has enormous potential as the audience is asked to discuss the characters’ behaviours, identify poor choices and model better choices that they believe could lead to a better outcome.

“The performances use comedy, drama, dance and music and local colloquialisms to both entertain and educate the public. In an effort to make sensitisation campaigns more impacting, each street theatre intervention is followed by discussion forums moderated by Merundoi Incorporated staff and volunteers and/or relevant resource personnel,” Lawrence explained. “These forums not only serve as an evaluation mechanism for Merundoi staff by helping staff gauge the level of knowledge audiences attain through the dramas, but also provide community members with a safe venue for voicing any additional questions and concerns they might have.”

The organisation also has its Modelling & Reinforcement to Combat HIV/AIDS (MARCH) Project which was launched in 2006 as a PEPFAR Project, specialising in Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) with an edutainment (education-entertainment) strategy. The MARCH Project was registered as an NGO, Merundoi Incorporated,in November 2007.
“Merundoi” is an Akawaio word meaning hope, strength, stamina, energy.

As the only BCC Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO ) in Guyana with a US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) approved BCC methodology, Merundoi works towards strengthening communities, especially young adults and vulnerable populations, to take ownership of their attitudes, actions and behaviours and to work together for their mutual benefit.