Learning to Scuba Dive? Get a Teacher Who Can Swim

Trust.

“Firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something.” Originally from traustr, or “strong” in Old Norse.

Trust is what sets us apart.

Trust is why our videos work.

Trust is at the heart of every video.

Why? 

To decide to change your behavior or learn something new, you have to trust the source of your information. If you wanted to learn how to bake, you’d look for a reputable cookbook or expert chef. Want to take up scuba diving? You’d take a class with somebody who wouldn’t let you drown.

In the same way, a video on agriculture practices must be made with a trustworthy person who knows how to best grow vegetables or corn. A video on proper ways to feed a healthy meal to a child should come from a knowledgeable parent. Tips on breastfeeding should come from a woman qualified to share that information.

Additional trust comes from shared experiences like language, culture, and environment. If a knowledgeable staff member here at illuminAid made a video about malaria prevention, it still wouldn’t bring the same level of trust as it would if the video were made by somebody who lives in an area with severe mosquito problems.

Here are three really specific examples:

Trust: Kenya

In Kenya, we worked with our partner Africare to create a video on the importance of dietary diversity. The video will be shown in a small northern community. The actor in the video was a mom who lived in that community and experienced the benefits of feeding her children a variety of healthy foods. Her neighbors know and trust her because she is one of them. When she explains how important it is to eat more vegetables, there’s a greater likelihood her neighbors will start eating a more diverse diet.

Trust: Guatemala

In Guatemala, we helped Mercy Corps create a video about family planning. The actor in this video was a trusted health advisor from the same community who spoke the same language and had years of experience in this field.

Trust: United States

In Chico, United States, our UnshelteredTV initiative created a video about the importance of handwashing for communities living in homeless encampments. The actor in the video also lives in this community and was excited to share this information with her friends because she knew that they trusted her.

We teach localized video for behavior change, because we know that trust is what will ultimately be the change maker.