Tchova Tchova, Juntos Vamos Mudar

Tchova Tchova used large-scale communication interventions and community-based approaches in an effort to catalyse change in harmful social and behavioural norms through:

• A 12-minute radio magazine - Tchova Tchova - Escutando Podemos Mudar (Push, Push - Through Listening We Can Change) - which addressed a variety of HIV/AIDS-related topics through 34 programmes, which featured the entertainment-education strategy.
• An HIV/AIDS prevention gender tool - Tchova-Tchova Histórias de Vida Diálogos Comunitários (TTHV) - which features - amongst other elements - 10 video and written profiles of Mozambican "positive deviant" men, women, and couples telling their stories of how they overcame gender, cultural, and social barriers with a specific focus on HIV treatment and prevention. [Editor's note: see "Related Summaries" below to access this tool.]
• A partnership with Moçambique em Acção (Mozambique in Action), the social responsibility division of Mozambique's STV main private broadcaster, to produce and air ten 2-hour television programmes in which the TTHV video profiles were presented and then discussed with a panel of adults.
• A project to dub 26 episodes of the South African HIV/AIDS drama series Tsha Tsha into Portuguese and to produce facilitation guides to be used at the community level, linking up with the TTHV initiative.
• A multimedia campaign - Andar Fora e Maningue Arriscado (Stepping out Is Very Risky) - on the risks of multiple concurrent partnerships (MCP) and social approval of new social and gender norms among married couples.
• An expansion of the HIV/AIDS Advocacy Toolkit for District Administrators, which reached 750 political and community leaders (regulos, traditional healers, rite of passage counsellors, religious leaders, and village secretaries). [Click here to access a set of visual cue cards featuring topics such as MCP, HIV/AIDS-tuberculosis (TB) co-infection, stigma at the community level, and the protection of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC).]
• An effort to increase the quantity and quality of media coverage of HIV/AIDS issues through 3 training workshops for 75 journalists and social communicators, the purpose of which was to build journalists' skills as well as to share accurate information on HIV/AIDS transmission patterns and preventive behaviours - as well as the formation of a Media Journalist Network.

In addition, Tchova Tchova worked in the area of communication for HIV prevention and treatment services. Specifically, JHUCCP assisted the Ministry of Health (MOH) to increase treatment-seeking behaviours and anti-retroviral therapy (ART) literacy and adherence, as well as to reduce stigma and promote HIV services. JHUCCP produced a package of training materials and a set of job aids (Six Tips for Interpersonal Communication), and the project supported the development of a set of counselling and communication tools for providers across HIV services and client materials.

Finally, Tchova Tchova endeavoured to strengthen capacity among Conselho Nacional de Combate ao HIV/Sida em Moçambique / National AIDS Council (CNCS) and MOH Education Unit staff to conduct large-scale communication strategies and coordinate mass media and communication activities at the national and provincial level.

HIV/AIDS, Gender.