Bob Linney with Charlene, Cote d'Ivoire

Health Images (HI) is a group of UK-based artists and graphic designers that provides training in the design and production of visual aids for health and development. HI trainers work with local groups to help develop low-cost visual aids at community level, using locally available materials.

HI training workshops usually last 1-2 weeks, with 2 facilitators and 12-20 participants. Workshops are participatory and practical and trainees do not need to have had any art training. Participants make their own visual aids with guidance from HI facilitators and practise using them on field visits. Training usually includes basic tuition on drawing and design skills. Workshops also incorporate discussion sessions focussing on the various issues relating to people-centred visual communication. At any one workshop, many different visual aids are produced- flannelboards, discussion starter, picture cards, posters, maps, educational games, puppets and T-shirts. HI also provides graphic design and illustration training for local artists, so they themselves can illustrate books, design stamps, logos etc.

A discussion starter from Liberia

HI is a UK registered charity (No. 299499) founded by Bob Linney, author of ‘Pictures, People and Power’ (Macmillan, London, 1995).
HI has collaborated with the British Council, Oxfam, UNICEF and numerous other international agencies; we have also often worked directly with local grassroots organisations, in both urban and rural situations.

In recent years, HI has worked with:
Street children in Addis Ababa
Disabled Tigrayan refugees in Sudan
Community organisers in post-war Liberia
Environmentalists in Sri Lanka and Uganda
Health workers in Zambia, Brasil and The Gambia
Liberian refugees in the Cote d’Ivoire
AIDS workers in Botswana and Ethiopia
Schoolchildren and urban planners in a township on the Cape Flats, South Africa
Political activists in Mexico
Community development workers and artists in East Timor
Local artists in Palestine

If you want to find out more about
Health Images please e-mail Bob Linney at healthimages@btinternet.com or
Petra Röhr-Rouendaal at petra@wilberworld.net