I have been sharing Scientific Animation Without Borders (SAWBO) animation videos for more than a year and have discovered that it’s fun and enjoyable. The moment I choose a video, I imagine its impact to the person or group I intent to share with, and how it will change their lives and practice to give better results. I relish the excitement and satisfaction on attaining certain goals in agriculture, health, social development or just organizing the way a women’s group runs its affairs.
“Where is the fun in sharing?” you may ask
To answer this question, I will explain the fun in the process of sharing the videos.
Seek to understand the end user needs
Various user challenges require solutions found in different animation videos. The moment you start understanding the end user’s needs, it will be easy selecting the right video to share.
- Understand the needs of your audience; be it an individual, group of people, community, organization, or institution.
- Seek to know what they do, the challenges they face, and the desired results.
- Determine what results are expected by your audience. This will guide you in selecting the requisite video.
End user’s needs vary; a community facing a health challenge, a women or youth group facing management hurdles, a person wishing to convert their farm waste into compost fertilizer all need to be directed to the appropriate videos. Seeking to understand the end user needs is key to selecting the right video that solves their problem.
Get to know SAWBO video categories and languages available
By understanding what video categories and languages are available, one can recommend the appropriate video after assessing the user needs and challenges. Ability to quickly choose and share the right video increases the user confidence and wins their trust in the disseminator. Identifying the SAWBO videos and categories such as health, agriculture, women’s empowerment, peace and justice, economics and climate change resilience is key.
Watch and internalize the animation videos
After understanding the categories, one needs to watch and internalize animation video content to be able to refer their users with ease. Watching the animations will help you to identify what video suits the end user in question. My advice is to watch a video more than once to understand the steps outlined, capture the procedure without skipping any detail, own it, then begin the dissemination journey. As you prepare to share the videos, imagine how your end users will learn from the animations. Imagine the joy farmers, health workers, women ‘chamas’ (groups), environmentalists, and other recipients will feel after the knowledge they gain from the videos improves their practices and service to the community.
Choose the dissemination mode
The next step is to decide how to disseminate the videos you’ve selected. To do this, consider the type of gadgets available to you and the end user. Consider the type of phones, whether they share content via Bluetooth, Xender, or social media platforms. SAWBO animation videos come in different formats that can be downloaded and watched on computer as .mp4, broadcast on television as .mov, viewed on Android phones as .3gp, and basic cell phones (also referred to as mulika mwizi with Bluetooth technology) as .3gp Lite. Find the right gadget to use in the dissemination process. In case of large groups of end users, encourage the sharing via Bluetooth and social media platforms. Projectors and large TV screens can also be used to train large groups.
Use the closest language or dialect your group can easily understand
Before you download a video for use in training or sharing with your end users, consider the language or dialect preferred by the community. Most animation videos have been translated into several national, local languages, and dialects which makes them user friendly. If the preferred local language translation is not available, select a video in the closest language that your group can easily understand. Always remember to send a request for a video translation into your local language and dialect to Kataru Concepts via kataruconcepts@gmail.com or SAWBO via cox377@purdue.edu.
Decide on the sharing approach
The approach used to share SAWBO video content is vital in setting the magnitude of the impact. You can approach individuals and share useful videos, or have training sessions with organised groups of interest such as CBO’s, NGO’s, etc. Sharing videos with friends and family is good and grows a user’s network gradually. Sharing relevant videos in family meetings, structured group meetings, or organized trainings and seminars reaches lots of users in a short while than approaching individuals. Whichever approach you decide to use, always encourage your recipients to share widely with family, friends and to all social media groups they subscribe to. Regardless of your sharing approach, first and foremost, please adhere to all guidelines designed to limit the spread of COVID-19. Safety must be your first priority.
Use social media platforms
Social media platforms have come in handy in sharing digital content. The COVID-19 outbreak has limited movement and increased the use of platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook in sharing information, organizing meetings, mobilizing activities, and running events. SAWBO animation videos can be shared on WhatsApp too. Creating WhatsApp groups of common interest users is a milestone in the sharing of vital information. An insatiable thirst for knowledge has increased the intake and use of digital content especially if it’s as helpful as what SAWBO provides in animation videos. End users love short, precise, and detailed videos that outline basic procedures without leaving out vital information. Consumers are looking for digital content in form of brief write-ups, instruction manuals, videos, and audio recordings which can be downloaded and shared easily; content that promotes the “Do-It-Yourself” approach. Incidentally, that is what SAWBO provides!
Establish video sharing networks
Assuredly, when digital content consumers discover that you always provide good educative content, they will keep coming back for more by opening anything and everything you share on all platforms. You shall have captured their confidence and expectations. Now this is the culture every content manager needs to cultivate and use to the maximum. Establish a reputation for providing good content (SAWBO animation videos). Build a network of confidants that can share whatever you share with them widely. Build a network with persons of influence in their communities. Put together a team of people whose opinion is valued and words will be taken seriously, people who understand their community’s needs and know what groups are available, the nature of projects and programs they run, and how to create an entry point and place SAWBO digital content at the group’s core. Use these contacts to expand your network and extensively disseminate the animation videos widely.
When you do what I have outlined above, sharing SAWBO animation videos will always be fun, exciting, and fulfilling!
Note: The information and content in SAWBO videos (content) should not substitute for professional or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment of any kind. Michigan State University, Purdue University, and SAWBO disclaims responsibility or liability for any loss or injury that may be incurred as a result of the use of any content included in any SAWBO video. Viewers and users of the videos should always consult a physician or other professional for diagnosis, treatment and/or advice. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of the content in a SAWBO video.
