Bringing Public Health to Life in Dedza
On a humid morning in Dedza, as rainy clouds gathered, Eluby stood before a group of Community Health Workers (CHW), teachers, and school children at St Cornelius Health Center. In her hands, she carried brightly illustrated comic books, job aids, and animated videos on Cholera and Mpox, which were shared among the participants. School children leaned forward over the books, teachers observed closely, and CHWs read and watched the videos quietly. Someone laughed at a character in the comic book and animated videos.
This is what public health can look like in Malawi when communication feels less like instruction, and more like a conversation.
“This is public health when communication feels like a conversation, not a lecture.”
The Persistent Challenge of Cholera in Malawi
Since 1973, when the first Cholera case was reported in Malawi, the country continues to face this endemic disease, affecting thousands in countless communities. Despite years of interventions, outbreaks resurface every year. This is not because information is unavailable, but because it is not always accessible, relatable, or easy to act on.
Traditional communication methods, such as posters with technical language, often overwhelm both leaders and listeners. But do these messages truly resonate with community experiences?
“High awareness doesn’t always lead to safe practices.”
Designing Communication That Matters
In 2025, UNICEF Malawi commissioned Eluby to research and develop multimedia communication materials on cholera transmission, prevention, and response. For Eluby, the goal was clear: to remind communities about cholera in a way that is simple, memorable, and actionable.
At Eluby Consulting, we believe communication is not just sharing facts, but designing meaning. Utilizing the principles of Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC), we work with communities, not for them.
“Communication is most effective when it reflects the community it serves.”
Grounding Materials in Human-Centred Design
Guided by a Human-Centred Design (HCD) approach and co-creation principles, we placed communities at the center of every stage of material development. This ensures that messages reflect lived realities, cultural context, and technical constraints faced by those most affected by cholera.
“We design with people, not for them.”
Research: Understanding the Gap
We began with a rigorous desk review, examining decades of cholera data, response reports, behavioral studies, and past campaign materials. Findings revealed a pattern: high awareness of cholera did not always translate into consistent preventive practices. This helped us understand why cholera remains a public health challenge despite decades of interventions.
“Data doesn’t lie: awareness alone is not enough.”
Co-Creation Workshops: Shaping Context-Appropriate Content
We conducted co-creation workshops with the Ministry of Health, through the Department of Health Promotion, including representatives from the Ministry of Water and Sanitation. Findings and ideas were debated, and together we translated them into draft scripts and concepts that were relevant and context-appropriate.
“Collaboration ensures relevance and ownership.”
Community Validation: Listening to Real Voices
The real test came during pre-testing sessions at St. Cornelius Health Center in Dedza. Participants flipped through comic books, paused on illustrations, questioned phrasing, and suggested clearer alternatives.
“Can we show this character standing along the waters?”
“Would we really say it like this?”
These were not minor edits they shaped design decisions based on real voices. Feedback was carefully reviewed and incorporated to strengthen both content and design.
Quality Assurance and Dissemination
Following revisions, all materials were submitted to the Quality Assurance and Quality Improvement (QA/QI) team for review. We are proud that the materials were endorsed and that Eluby Consulting is now leading their dissemination.
“When cholera strikes, memory matters. Our materials are designed to stick.”
Communication That Sticks
These communication materials were crafted to recall, because when cholera strikes, memory matters. This assignment exemplifies what SBCC should be: evidence-based, participatory, and people-centered.
By applying co-creation principles and human-centered design, cholera communication became not only accurate but trusted, accepted, and usable.
“Messages work best when they are understood, accepted, and easy to act on.”
Philosophy in Practice
For Eluby Consulting, this assignment was more than a deliverable. It was a reaffirmation of our philosophy: work with communities, not for them.