Soul Beat Africa
African development action with informed and engaged societies
Soul Beat Africa
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 lainiciativadecomunicacion.com and is linked with The CI Global site.
Time to read
1 minute
Print
a- a+
Published 18 years ago
Last updated 1 year ago
Read so far

Andrew Lees Trust, Impact Evaluation of Projet Radio SIDA

0 comments

Since 2003, the Andrew Lees Trust (ALT) has collaborated with the National HIV AIDS Awareness Committee of Madagascar (Commite Nationale Lutte contre le SIDA - CNLS) to deliver HIV information via radio to rural populations in southern Madagascar. ALT also distributed 2,000 radios for the CNLS across the Provinces of Toliara and Fianarantsoa, setting up dedicated listening groups to receive national broadcasts about HIV/AIDS as well as locally produced radio programmes on the subject. According to the organisers, explaining complex medical issues to an illiterate audience is challenging, particularly in this region where traditional beliefs attribute illnesses to spirit possession.

Knowledge Shifts
The evaluation also found that the programme increased knowledge of three modes of transmission of HIV. Of those surveyed, 75% mentioned both sexual relations and blood, 96% mentioned sexual relations, and 78% mentioned blood as methods of transmission. Only 38% mentioned mother-to-child transmission. The survey also found that some false beliefs on transmission continue to be held, the most frequent being transmission by mosquitoes (15%). Also, some people still feared transmission through water, or through sharing of clothes.

The evaluation also indicated sound knowledge of methods of prevention. Of the respondents, 77% mentioned both using condoms and being faithful, 95% mentioned using condoms, 81% mentioned being faithful, and 28% mentioned abstinence.
Attitudes
The evaluation suggests that programmes on stigma and discrimination have a major impact on populations' attitudes towards people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA). It states that people's first reaction is to isolate and make public the identity of PLWHA, as the community is considered more important than individuals. According to the organisers, after hearing a programme on stigma and discrimination, attitudes changed very fast. Listeners agreed with the messages, and expressed the desire to feed, help, and cheer up PLWHA (though some still maintain a desire for distance, based on misconceptions about transmission).
Increased Discussion of Development Issues
Many respondents indicated that hearing about HIV and AIDS on the radio and in public discussions has led them to believe in its existence.
Access
An evaluation of the project found that radio is the most important source of information on HIV/AIDS in Madagascar. During the evaluation, radio was mentioned by 89% of the respondents as most important. Amongst the urban population, 96% mention radio; in rural areas, the percentage is slightly lower at 82%. In addition, 71% of the participants mentioned having heard a radio programme on HIV/AIDS made by Project Radio.
Source
ALT Projet Radio - SIDA Impact Evaluation [PDF]; ALT website on April 22 2008; and emails from Gerry de Lisle to The Communication Initiative on August 19 2008 and August 20 2008.