ABOUT THIS PROJECT
Launched in 2009, Maziko is working to prevent HIV among out of school youths in Malawi, encouraging them to take responsibility for their health and well-being. Using a television and radio talk show, community mobilisation, and social media, the project is designed to address issues of concurrent multiple partnerships (CMP) and intergenerational sex, as well as highlight sexual and reproductive health (SRH) matters among young people.
The project is led by the Pakachere Institute of Health and Development Communication (IHDC) in collaboration with the National Aids Commission (NAC) Malawi, and is implemented in the following districts: Blantyre Rural, Thyolo, Mulanje, Phalombe, Chikwawa, Nsanje, Mwanza, Neno, Ntcheu and Salima.
COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES:
The project uses the following complementary communication strategies:
Television magazine programme
The Maziko programme centres on a television talk show, which airs on Sundays at 7pm and features voices and perspectives of young people. The first Maziko television talk show was launched in 2011 with 42 episodes running until mid 2012. A second series was launched in March 2013.
Radio magazine programme
The 30-minute Maziko radio magazine programme is broadcast on five radio stations, MBC radio 1 & 2, Capital FM, Joy radio and Trans-world radio. It is an interactive programme where a talk show host discusses with youth various sexual and reproductive health issues that affect them. Youth are engaged in debates about their sexual health, where they explore issues that are rarely discussed among themselves and with parents because they are perceived as taboo.
Radio listening clubs
The listening clubs are linked to the Maziko Radio Magazine programme. The clubs meet on a weekly basis to listen to the radio and discuss as a group what that day’s programme means to them. Each club has a trained facilitator who uses a facilitator guide to guide the discussion. Each club is provided with a wind up radio.
After listening to the programmes and discussing, the groups are tasked to carry out community outreach activities to share and disseminate what they have learned in the programme with community members. Where possible, joint community outreach activities are planned with the clubs as a way of supporting and motivating the groups to implement these activities. There are currently 144 NAC radio listener clubs existing in 8 districts/provinces.
In terms of establishing the clubs, Pakachere first of all holds introductory/buy-in meetings with district assembly partners in the specific districts that they want to work in. In the meetings, they explain the project’s objectives, the groups that they would like to work with, and how this will happen. The District assembly partners then guide them in terms of where there is a need to establish new clubs or where there are existing clubs or structures that they can work with.
After that, the next step is the actual club formation/mobilisation process where they go to the community with the district assembly desk officer. At the community, the first to be approached and consult are the chiefs. They then call for a meeting with the required group of people, and will include the chief and other relevant traditional leaders. The project and its objectives are then explained to the group and thereafter the clubs are established. Usually at these meetings the facilitators will be selected, who will be trained to facilitate group discussions once the club starts listening to the radio programmes. Pakachere usually trains two people per club in facilitation and reporting skills, and on the content covered in the radio programmes.
The Maziko Face book page is a social media platform where youth interact with the talk show anchor, as well as each other, to advance and comment on the issues raised in the talk shows. Youth are able to exchange experiences based on the issue discussed and ask more questions on some of the issues. The page has also experienced involvement of parents who perceive the TV talk show as a means of communicating with their children on issues that they are usually unable to discuss with them.
COMMUNITY VIEWING SESSIONS
Outreach officers show low cost videos on various behaviours that put young people at risk of HIV infection. After each show, the audience is involved in a discussion where they comment on the behaviours, its consequences, and how it could be avoided. At the end, the audience is asked to think about an action they will take personally as a lesson from the discussion. The sessions generate a lot of questions which are answered by experts who accompany the outreach teams.
HIV TESTING AND COUNSELLING (HTC) DAY AND SOCIAL DIALOGUE SESSIONS
Pakachere conducts various community events that include social dialogues, counselling sessions, and HIV testing. This is a whole day event jointly organised with youth club members, district partners, and sexual and reproductive health service providers. The sessions have information sharing components and a service provision part which includes HTC, condom distribution, and provision of family planning methods.
DEVELOPMENT ISSUES:
HIV/ AIDS, Youth
Key Points:
In terms of setting up listening clubs, Pakachere has made the following observations:
It is challenging to maintain people’s commitment throughout the year/project span as they have other obligations that are sometimes deemed more urgent. It therefore helps to visit them frequently and offer support.
When recruiting clubs, one should try and recruit those that are truly committed to the project’s objectives. Because groups and people feign commitment and enthusiasm during a community visit, it is difficult to recognise which groups and individuals are truly devoted and one often ends up involving groups and/or training individuals that do not run with the project. Pakachere believes that if the project is to have a greater impact, they need to invest time and resources into the selection procedure of the groups that they should concentrate on and individuals that should be trained.
Lastly, according to Pakachere, it helps to seriously think through the issue of incentives particularly when the club members operate as volunteers. Depending on the context, this may not necessarily be monetary as sometimes all people want are t-shirts, bags, wraps or any other form of club identification, or it could be participation in various training workshops and exchange visits among clubs. But whatever the form of incentive, it is important that it be thought through properly.
Partner:
Pakachere Institute of Health and Development Communication (IHDC), National Aids Commission