Yamba the Honey Ant to share healthy living messages with Cairns and Torres Strait Islands

Stars of the hit children’s TV series, Yamba’s Playtime, are packing their bags for a roadshow tour of Cairns and the Torres Strait Islands this month to promote healthy living to young children.

Yamba the Honey Ant and best friend Jacinta Price will entertain kids through a healthy living musical that highlights the importance of healthy eating, exercise and hygiene.

Yamba and Jacinta are excited about singing and dancing with the children while sharing important information about staying healthy and strong.

“Yamba is like a celebrity coming to town – it’s really special for the kids, they absolutely go off,” said Yamba host Jacinta Price.

“Parents and the teachers appreciate the messages we bring to their communities too. They often tell us that the kids talk about things they’ve learnt from Yamba long after we’ve left.”

Yamba promotes healthy lifestyle behaviours across the TV show, live performances and short animations nationally, as well community service announcements on Imparja Television.

Funding to take the musical on the road in remote Queensland comes from the Local Community Campaign program, which is part of the Australian Government’s Live Longer! Campaign. Right up until June 2014, Local Community Campaign funds will help Yamba’s Playtime take the healthy lifestyle message to kids across North West and South West Queensland and the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Producer Julie McAllan says without this funding, the project wouldn’t be possible.

“We’re able to get out to these remote communities where projects like Yamba don’t usually get to. The funding we receive makes it all possible.”

And they see results long after the remote appearances.

“We contact the communities a few months after we’ve visited to see how they are going with implementing the resources that we provided them to help ensure the messages are repeated,” said Julie.

“I think that’s a really important part of Closing the Gap – to make sure these messages are getting through – that’s how we will improve health.

“We even got an email from a parent saying that their child now brushes their teeth twice a day – so for us it’s great to see the messages getting through.

“A health organisation contacted us and said that one of the fathers in the community said his kids told him not to eat too much sugar because his teeth would rot and fall out. They’re not just remembering Yamba, they’re remembering the important elements that the program is built upon.”

And their success hasn’t gone unnoticed – Yamba’s Playtime has been nominated for an award in the education category of the national Deadly Awards.

“Please vote for us in the Deadlys – that would be so good.”

Soon after returning home to Alice Springs, Yamba and Jacinta look forward to embarking on another road show to perform for children in the Cape York Peninsula.

Listen to the audio file below to hear Yamba’s rap.

http://www.indigenous.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/yamba_rap.mp3