Evaluation in Situ
Cultural intervention
The team went to the market and set up the stall in the context. When we were setting it up the reaction of sellers was negative. At the beginning they refused to accept us as a part of their society making fun of us and the goods we had prepared. Interestingly, they were making fun of us and throwing water on us because we distracted buyers from their stalls, however they helped us to clean the table and get things started. The situation was full of contradictions.
As soon as we have put our message boards up people approached us and began conversations. Not only did the message boards encourage people to approach us, conversations involved sellers from the nearest stalls, and buyers...
A seller from a nearby stall approached us and we gave him our small board. He placed a message on the board at his own stall. This encouraged people even more to approach him to tell stories and to finalize this interaction with a purchase.
The circle was complete. We entered the situation, creating an even more dynamic situation involving all groups' sellers - buyers / buyers - buyers / sellers - sellers.
However, we also noted that we had created an unusual situation were we as young people entered an environment where mainly elderly or older people are involved. This changed the context but it did enhance exchanges, conversations and storytelling. We provoked anger, refusals, joy and long conversations which were in some cases highly personal.
People want to talk and they want to be encorageed to talk.
Video
Photos
