The workshop took place six weeks after the introduction of HIV self-testing. Thirteen people were invited to take part. The group was made up of eight women, five men (incl. three couples).

The group identified issues of confidentiality and fear of stigma, lost work opportunities, distance and cost as the primary barriers to HIV testing.

Group feedback was an integral part of the process: Footage was reviewed throughout the workshop.

There was a private screening of the edit in April 2017 where participants approved validity and accuracy of the film and provided feedback to the editors.

In Our Hands | Community video workshop

In Our Hands is a community video project that ran alongside the introduction of HIV self-testing in Malawi. It included a week long video and storytelling workshop and the production of a documentary that premiered on World AIDS Day 2017 in eight locations across Malawi and Europe.

The aim of In Our Hands was to amplify the perspectives of people affected by poor access to HIV testing services. The project included a workshop for 13 participants that explored issues relating to HIV self-testing, whilst also training the group in camera and storytelling techniques. The workshop and community screenings created space for collaboration and the sharing of experiences on issues surrounding HIV and AIDS.

Workshop facilitated by Rodrick Sambakunsi (community engagement), Wezzie Lora (HIV self-testing researcher) and Millie Harvey (filmmaker).

In Our Hands is funded by Wellcome Trust and is a collaboration between Global Health Film initiative, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), and Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Research Programme (MLW) and the World Health Organisation (WHO). The project portrayed in the film, HIV Self-Testing AfRrca (STAR), is funded by Unitaid.