Senegal Surround Sound

Mon, 03/21/2011 - 12:11

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Launched in June 2009, Senegal Surround Sound is an advocacy and education initiative by Malaria No More, in partnership with Senegalese musician Youssou N'Dour, which is designed to help curb the spread of malaria in Senegal. The campaign makes use of Youssou N'Dour's influence and media empire to create a culture of insecticide-treated (bed)net (ITN) usage and malaria treatment by mobilising local marketers from the worlds of entertainment, sport, faith, and business. The campaign launched with a concert and a song to support the distribution of mosquito nets across Senegal.

Communication Strategies

The campaign is working with different sectors of Senegalese society, including entertainment, sport, faith-based organisations, local business, and government, to deliver the message across the country that no family need suffer from malaria. According to organisers, among the Surround Sound campaign's many goals, distributing tools and providing education are the biggest priorities.

According to the organisers, the Surround Sound campaign seeks to:

work alongside the Senegalese government, which launched a campaign in June 2009 to distribute 2 million mosquito nets to children under the age of five;
reach the majority of Senegal's population repeatedly with effective malaria messaging - through music, print, and television - to increase utilisation of nets and proper treatment for malaria; and
increase national malaria knowledge and awareness in Senegal, supporting the government's goals to bring ITN usage up to 85%, to provide correct treatment within 24 hours for 95% of malaria cases, and to ensure that at least 85% of expectant mothers receive the recommended two doses of preventative treatment during pregnancy.

The Surround Sound Campaign will use Youssou N'Dour's personal and professional network to mobilise Senegalese families to fight malaria. This will be achieved through the use of Youssou's "Xeex Sibiru", a song written for the campaign in collaboration with fellow artists Souleymane Faye, Pope Diouf, Viviane, Ndèye Mary, Ndiaye Gawlo, and Mbaye Ndiaye. The song tells the story of a young man (Pape Diouf) who gets malaria and misses out on life. The other artists serve as voices of the community who instruct him that he knew better and should have protected himself with a net. The song was recorded in three versions - Wolof, Pulaar, and Serere - and is being broadcast nationally and locally through radio and at 1,300 health huts (cases de santés).

The campaign launched with a concert performance by Youssou N'Dour and his band in Senegal in June 2009 to raise awareness about the upcoming distribution. Watch a video from the concert, below.

A project blog is designed to provide up-to-date information on the campaign.

Click here to download the song for free.

Development Issues

Malaria