Learning through Stories: Building Demand for Immunization amongst Ethnic Minorities

"Their stories, captured in their own words, show how community engagement strategies can be used effectively to create empathy and build demand for vaccines among vulnerable groups."

In December 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Results for Development (R4D), an implementing partner of the Learning Network for Countries in Transition (LNCT), commissioned Common Thread to develop two videos on building demand for immunisation amongst a minority ethnic group in Viet Nam.

These videos are being disseminated around the world as learning tools. An accompanying facilitator's guide includes discussion prompts for those leading a one-hour learning session around the two films. An adaptable slide deck is also available.

By detailing the immunisation journeys of young mothers, Cha and Do, in the H'mong community of Yên Bái Province, the films provide an opportunity for health workers to analyse the barriers marginalised communities face in getting vaccinated and the strategies health workers might adapt to build demand in these communities. They also show the power of storytelling as a technique to:

• Empathise with those we are trying to support.
• Understand the people and lives hidden behind numbers.
• Change behaviour; stories and emotions can have real impact.
• Give diverse people an opportunity to be heard.

The case studies were launched during a webinar held on March 18 2021. During the webinar (recording available at the URL below), Common Thread walked participants through the two journeys, reflected on the strategies used in the H'mong community, and explored how the case studies can be used to build skills to generate demand for vaccines amongst ethnic minorities in other contexts.