Life-Saving Lullabies
During 2019, seed funding from the University of Huddersfield enabled Dr Jim Reid and Professor David Swann (Sheffield Hallam University) to visit Zambia to hold meetings exploring issues surrounding maternal and child health (MCH) with St John, Zambia and UNICEF Zambia.
The fieldwork trips enabled them to develop the idea of educational and instructional lullabies and to co-create a ‘zero-cost’ intervention strategy that is adaptable, sustainable and scalable. Singing is common to all cultures.
The result was the world’s first ‘danger signs song’, conceived and performed by the St John volunteers at Chunga MCH clinic.
(Watch with sound)
The Life-Saving Lullabies: reducing adolescent maternal and neonatal deaths in Zambia project continued to develop with the support of a grant from the UKRI Global Challenges Research Fund (2020-21).
This project was led by Professor David Swann at Sheffield Hallam University, with co-investigators Dr Jim Reid (HudCRES) and Dr Barry Doyle at the University of Huddersfield. International partners include Morrice Muteba, National Coordinator for St John Zambia and Tony Kawimbe and Chloe George from Ufulu Studios.
A record of research outputs and activities associated with this project involving University of huddersfield staff can be found on the Life-Saving Lullabies project page on the University of Huddersfield Research Portal.
Dr Jim Reid
HudCRES
Prof Barry Doyle
Life-Saving Lullabies - Introduction
The start of the Covid-19 global pandemic meant that the research team were unable to visit Zambia again to conduct fieldwork as they had planned.
The project was quickly redesigned, and instead of the researchers visiting, Zambian film-makers Ufulu Studios were commissioned to work with the Safe Motherhood Action Group (SMAG) clinic volunteers and people attending the clinics to create films capturing the development and impact of implementing a Life-Saving Lullabies approach to improving maternal and neonatal outcomes.
More films made by Ufulu Studios during the Life-Saving Lullabies project
We're sorry
{{errorMessage}}
{{item.snippet.title}}
Climate change and young people's lives
During the course of the Life-Saving Lullabies project, the researchers became very aware of the impact of climate change on the life and experiences of young people in Zambia.
Although not directly addressing issues of maternal and child health, this final film made by Ufulu Studios as part of the Life-Saving Lullabies project explores climate change from one young woman's perspective.
Evaluation
Read the end-term evaluation of the Life-Saving Lullabies project undertaken by consultant Dr Christine P. Mushibwe on behalf of St John Zambia and the project partners.
The project also features in a report written by Wolf Brown for the Bernard van Leer Foundation - Making a Joyful Noise: The Potential Role of Music Making in the Well-Being of Young Families (p.22)
