The Unicef Rispekt (Respect) campaign started out with a survey that shows teenagers in schools in Vanuatu are experiencing bullying and disrespect in different forms. Unicef wanted to made a pilot action for the Ministry of Education. This was only possible with the help of a designer (me), a musician (Stan and the Earth force), film makers (Tim Martin and Matthew Hardwick and big team from Further Arts) and a printer (Classic Printers) + a lot of energy.

 

So first we had to find a tagline and found this very simple phrase that is endless and shows we are all inter-connected and responsible in this wheel of behaviour : “Mi Rispektem Yu Rispektem Mi Rispektem Yu…”.

On the t-shirts it also serves as a shield. So the t-shirts were designed printed & distributed to the teenagers and fieldworkers.

with Jean Choi, our super talented Unicef coordinator who made it happen !

 

Then we started a few graffiti workshops in two schools in Ulei (rural north Efate) and centre Port-Vila

There were also smaller screens to spray on walls. This one says “Rispekt hemi stamba tinktink blong yumi evriwan” “Respect is the grassroot of our way of thinking”. This phrase was chosen to go to the walls of the dining rooms.

Official launching with big men from the Government, Ministry of Education, School Boards and Joemela Simeon from Unicef Office.

In the meantime, Stan and the Earth force together with Tim and Matt and a big crew from Further Arts were shooting editing creating music and sharing all of this in a special van all over the island.

the music video is here :

the stories are here :

Boys drinking :

Girls fighting :

Lifting up Respect :

 

And to complete this experience and make it last longer, from these videos, I designed two “comics” and a poster printed on a newspaper you can easily tear apart and put on a wall. Each comic ends with a blank bubble that allows kids to end the story however they want. A tool the teachers and social workers can use to discuss the problems and find solutions.