Tracing Rabies And Communities’ Experiences (TRACE)
Telling the human story of rabies elimination, from Pemba to East Africa and beyond
Project Overview:
Rabies kills an estimated 60,000 people every year, mostly in low- and middle-income countries—despite being preventable through mass dog vaccination. TRACE set out to explore rabies not just as a biomedical issue but as a lived, community experience. Centred on Pemba island, Tanzania—where rabies has been successfully eliminated—TRACE captured first-hand stories from those directly affected by the disease and those working to fight it.
By combining community perspectives, stakeholder insight and genomic data, the team developed animations and short films that give voice to the human and social dimensions of rabies control. These digital stories are being shared at policy meetings, with practitioners, and among other at-risk communities across East Africa, empowering them to build support and advocate for sustained elimination efforts.
Team:
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Dr Kirstyn Brunker – University of Glasgow
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Local project partners in Pemba and wider Tanzanian health networks
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Goals & Activities
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Communicate the lived experience of rabies alongside scientific data
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Empower communities to shape policy and implementation strategies
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Encourage new conversations about rabies control across East Africa
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Create audio-visual stories that are local, shareable and policy-relevant
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Support researchers in building narrative and engagement skills
Project Outputs
Short & Long-Form Films
- Co-produced digital stories conveying how rabies spreads, how it was stopped, and what it takes to stay rabies-free.
Data Visualisation & Genomic Research
- Groundbreaking research showing how contact tracing and viral genome sequencing revealed rabies dynamics over 10 years.
Ongoing Dissemination & Development
- The project continues to inform international dialogue through our podcast.
