Unlocking Love / Domin Nakloke Film Series

Action –New Street Theatre Performances of the Domin Nakloke/ Unlocking Love films coming soon!

Visual media plays an important role in introducing ideas and promoting targeted messaging in societies where literacy is low and social norms discourage behavioural change. Evidence shows that locally produced films, particularly if they are a series, are more likely to have an impact on the attitudes and behaviours of individuals and groups of people in developing countries. The audience relates more to the media productions when the topics are contextually relevant. Strategic communication is increasingly understood as an enabler of individual and social level change to achieve development goals.

It also reflects The overarching theory of change of the UNICEF country programme is, among other things, if communities, families, children, adolescents and youth are positively engaged in innovative solutions to the development and protection of girls and boys; then children and adolescents, especially the most vulnerable, will be empowered, healthier, more educated and productive and safer. Therefore, in the second phase of the Breaking the Cycle of Gender Based Violence (SBCC) in Timor-Leste S project, Ba Futuru will continue to strategically collaborate with the UNICEF Timor-Leste team to maximize the utilization of materials of the Domin Nakloke film series that has been previously produced during phase I.  While we will continue to disseminate the key messages that the Domin Nakloke series convey, the medium will be adjusted into the form of a community theatre script and performances. The mobile community theatres will be performing in key strategic locations within the target municipalities of Spotlight Initiative.

In the month of June 2023, Ba Futuru’s NGO project team started with the Training of Trainers on how to do street theatre performances. The project team will provide 5 days of intensive training to 30 youth representatives from 3 Municipalities.

One of the participants who participated in the training Female, 25 years old shared that “From this information, I know that Theater is a tool that could transform societal beliefs and behaviours, and it has a big impact on a learner, as myself. Previously, I did not have the confidence to speak in front of a crowd, since yesterday I have noticed changes in myself, and some of my friends have increased their confidence as well. This truly helps us when meeting with the community in the field we feel very much prepared to speak in front of them. Through this training, I am able to build my relationship with my peers and build trust among the youth changemakers”.

The additional support that you can provide will help us to make these projects and mitigate extra costs that are associated with the street theatre performances in Timor-Leste.

Thank you for your support!

Ba Futuru’s trained youth changemakers continue felicitate open discussion with other youth trough screening the Unlocking Love film series of episode 5 and 6 in their community.  Ba Futuru is very impressed with the positive initiative that come from the youth to raise awareness to the other youth in preventing violence against women and girls in their community. As en example, after screening some of the audience reacted that these issues are really important to talk openly because it occurs in their lives and they don’t know yet what methods or ways to prevent, so they think it is really good opportunity for them to participate in these activities by watching the Domin Nakloke ep 5 & ep 6 and discuss it in depth.

A female, 28 years old said, “In my life I accepted that a husband hit his wife it is normal.  But today after I joined in this screening film activity, I have learned that when a husband hits a wife it is not normal but it is a crime. I am appreciated to participate in this workshop because I could learn lots of strategy of violence prevention.”