Let’s Grow Up Together Comic Book
A comprehensive guide to puberty.
Pan Ka Lay is a Myanmar organisation advocating for healthier, more positive attitudes towards menstruation.
This comic book aims to be the guide for the growing pubescent boys and girls who are about to step into puberty and a world of changes. By explaining the physical, social, and emotional implications of puberty and exemplifying stigma-free attitudes and behaviours, this comic book aims to help 10 to 14 year old girls and boys understand and develop positive attitudes toward puberty and menstruation.
Client
Pankalay
Objective
Design a comic book as reference tool on puberty and menstruation to use on a national scale
Demographic
10-14 year old girls and boys, schools, NGOs & CSOs, youth groups/centres
Type of work
Behaviour Change, Storytelling, Illustration, Design, Workshop and Facilitation
Cause
Gender equality, Women and girls empowerment, Health and WASH
Story Developments
Since the early stage, our main goal was to make the comic book “fun” as we encourage our audience to learn. After a number of audience testing through focus group discussions on story concepts and character styles, the idea of a heartwarming coming of age story was our audiences’ favourite among all our concepts.
The main characters’ unique personality and quirks that at times contradict each other make them both realistic and entertaining to read.
The story portays the relatable “firsts” as you step into puberty, physical and emotional changes, nervousness and validate the struggles most pre teens and young adolescents face when they begin to grow up. At the same time, through the characters’ support for each other and their curious nature, the comic book helps readers see the beauty of growing up. It makes growing up exciting and encourages readers to learn how girls and boys can support one another just as the characters do.
We worked closely with Pankalay and a medical expert to condense down the complex information into easily digestible infographics. We tied in scientific explanations and advice with relevant chapters to help young boys and girls understand why their bodies go through changes during puberty, how to cope with them, as well as demonstrate why the existing stigmas are wrong and harmful.
This is the time that reproductive capacity starts to develop . . .
‘Let’s grow up together’ is available now in book shops, stationary stores, and supermarkets across Myanmar!
The comic book was designed to be used as educational material for teachers or (I)ngo’s to complement their teaching curriculum on Sexual & Reproductive Health. If you are interested in using this book for educational purposes, feel free to get in touch for distribution.
