Social Norms
Social norms action with informed and engaged societies
Social Norms
After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future.
 
Co-founder Victoria Martin is pleased to see this work continue under Wits' leadership. Victoria knows that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction.
 
We honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades. Meanwhile, La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA) continues independently at cila.comminitcila.com and is linked with The CI Global site.
Time to read
2 minutes
Print
a- a+
Published 22 years ago
Last updated 1 year ago
Read so far

Journey of Life

1 comment
Journey of Life is a Family Planning (FP) and HIV/AIDS prevention radio drama. The drama addresses perceived risk and self-efficacy as it relates to FP and HIV/AIDS and dual protection offered by condoms.
Communication Strategies

Each radio drama broadcast concludes with a contest for listeners pertinent to information covered in each show. Listeners write their responses and send them in to the show, where winners are selected weekly to receive prizes such as show T-shirts and other health promotion materials. The contest is intended to boost the proportion of regular listeners and encourage retention of information presented in the radio programmes.The activities of the project were:

  • Radio drama workshop
  • Script writing and translations
  • Recording and production
  • Monitoring and evaluation


And the outputs were:

  • Broadcasting
  • Impact assessment
  • Post-broadcast contests
  • Impact


A two-pronged evaluation was conducted employing qualitative research methods to assess the programme reach and effectiveness, as well as listener opinions and behaviors in response to the radio broadcasts. Case studies were conducted using a combination of interviews, extensive observation and field notes, weekly updates, and feedback to JHU/PCS. The second prong of the evaluation, media monitoring, used fresh listing (new lists of local homes as compared to old listings) and surveys to compile monthly reports.

Development Issues

Youth, HIV/AIDS.

Key Points

The project aims to educate and encourage the audience to realise that FP is one of the most important ways they can improve their own lives, the lives of their families, and the quality of life throughout Ethiopia. It also aims to communicate to the people of Ethiopia that it is possible to control the epidemic of HIV/AIDS by taking appropriate measures to control the disease through education and healthy lifestyle choices.


The organisers plan to broadcast the drama on other radio stations in Ethiopia and also adapt it to community drama productions.

Partners

JHU/PCS, National Office of Population (NOP), MOH, Consortium of Family Planning NGOs in Ethiopia (COFAP) and USAID

Sources

JHU/CCP website on October 17, 2003.

Comments

User Image
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 11/30/1999 - 00:00 Permalink

I read with interest the creative ways of making our sexuality a living room discussion. Good try.

The whole concept of family planning is anti-human sexuality and behavior. How can one plan a family? (This is the world, China, India, Africa where 3/4th of the world population lives!).

John Hopkins needs to go to school in China or India where families are managed and not planned.

Ninety percent of the world's children are born after a passion not for babies but for pleasure and innate deisre to copulate.

Just imagine all the women and men of the world going to bed for the purpose of planning a family?

We do not plan but manage family. Please change your name to family management instead of planning. Just tell me one thing that works with planning, I mean biological things. Do you plan your bladder release? No you go when nature calls. Do you plan your sex. No you go when the woman is on heat and that is not often enough for the man.

This behavior modification with drama and radio is good for entertainment, if you really want to change behavior, then have a follow up conversation with the focus group and ask, do you think you can change your practice because of the information you got, or because you have some coaching at home, school or at the dating clubs?

Please change plan to manage and IEC to interactive communication.

With love and respect

Belai Habte-Jesus, MD, MPH
CEO@ Gloobal Strategic Enterprises, Inc.