More than 2,400 men, women, and children gathered at the Prince Mohammad Sport City in Jordan to join in the festivities of the Hayati Ahla (“My Life is More Beautiful”) fair on September 24, 2010. The goal of the fair was to create greater awareness, support, and demand for family planning and healthy lifestyles initiatives. It was produced in an entertainment education format by the Jordan Health Communication Partnership (JHCP), in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior/Local Development Directorate and Local Development Unit of Zarqa.

The afternoon of family fun and education provided participants with opportunities to gain a better understanding of health issues and identify actions they could take for a healthier life. JHCP worked with local partners to distribute individual entrance tickets, enabling specific audiences to be targeted.

The fair featured activities that engaged both adults and children, with appearances from famous singers, comedians, magicians, and dancers. The most popular comedy team in Jordan, Hassan Sabaileh and Rania Isma’eel (the UN Goodwill Ambassador for TB prevention) performed a sketch about family planning, focusing on gender equity, spacing between pregnancies, and maternal health and social welfare. A health contest was held, with prizes donated by FINE. Participants attended health booths where they measured their BMI, tested their blood pressure, received clinical examinations, and gave blood. Partners also set up booths with health information packets and other giveaways.

The event attracted wide private sector sponsorship, with donations of participant prizes, water bottles, and cost sharing of the venue.

The Jordan Health Communication Partnership is a nine-year USAID-funded project that is being implemented by CCP. JHCP works with the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Interior, and the Higher Population Council to implement a comprehensive country-wide health communication strategy under a unified national brand, “Our Health, Our Responsibility.”

For more photos of the “My Life is More Beautiful” fair, please visit CCP’s Facebook page.

To learn more about the Jordan Health Communication Partnership.