"Junk Food -- Message For Parents" (English)

This Public Service Announcement (PSA) displays facts about health complications that can result from obesity between images of a red balloon getting pumped with air- bigger and bigger until it fills the whole frame. "45% of people in Kuwait between the ages of 6-19 are overweight," the text says." Obesity inhibits activity in the area of the brain affecting language, memory, vision and speech," A final WARNING sign appears with more facts about the side affects of obesity: "Obesity can cause high blood pressure, insomnia, depression, and low self-esteem." The sound of a balloon popping over this final message is meant to startle and wake up the audience to the dangers of early obesity.

This video was created by Suhaila Al-Salem, a board member and active leader within the civil society organization, Women Cultural Social Society. She wishes to educate both parents and youth about possible health complications caused by childhood obesity, a relatively new problem in Kuwait. Suhaila would like to create a movement of Kuwaitis committed to tackling the issue of childhood obesity, and to build a widespread public awareness campaigns through this and other Public Service Announcements. She also wishes to call parents attention to bad habits formed by their children at an early age, such as eating while watching television or playing video games, neglecting to exercise, and over-consuming fast foods, which result in weight gain and impaired health.

In addition to Suhaila's activism, she organizes women's health initiatives through Women Cultural Society, and activities for women to gain business and networking skills to open their own businesses in Kuwait.

She is the primary contact for the Kuwait NGO Film Club that formed after a two-week workshop led by Barefoot Workshops at the Radisson SAS in Kuwait. She plans to continue creating her own PSA's and facilitating monthly meeting for the club. Please contact Suhaila if you would like to join the Kuwait NGO Film Club, or if you would like to broadcast the groups PSAs on regional networks in The Middle East. Email: suhaila_alsalem@yahoo.com

URL: www.wcss.com

Background:
This Public Service Announcement (PSA) was produced locally in Kuwait City, Kuwait as part of a media workshop, entitled "Media, Activism and Democracy," led by Barefoot Workshops in partnership with The Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI). Thirteen participants from seven organizations, mostly women and youth, learned how to write, shoot, produce and edit, thirty-second noncommercial videos (Public Service Announcements), to raise awareness about social issues. The goal of the workshops was to increase discussion, debate and civic participation in the Middle East. The PSAs are available in Arabic and English to broadcasters and other organizations that wish to distribute them "rights-free" on television and/or the Internet.

Music and sound design provided by Nabeel Bahy (of Kuwait).

See more PSAs at www.barefootworkshops.org

Contacts: Chandler Griffin & Alison Fast (chandler@barefootworkshops.org)

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Barefoot
• Workshops
• MEPI
• Arabic
• Middle
• East
• Junk
• Food
• health
• PSA
• Public
• Service
• Announcement
• children

[noway2XX2]

its great video, but we don’t need organizations such as "MEPI" we can do more and better without an OUTSIDE Support !! We don’t need any one from outside to tell "us" how to handle our issues !!!

Please watch out and be careful from outside involvement

[chrisboy2000]

i think i gotta tip of parrents dont eat that much junk food watch what there eating and take track what there eating they can eat junk food but not all the time track how they eat there junk food like you eat junk food only on friday not alot then later you make a healthy dinner and veggies and fruits