Resounding the VoicesResounding the Voices- Letter Writing, Audience Participation and- Letter Writing, Audience Participation and

HIV/AIDS Communication for Social Change HIV/AIDS Communication for Social Change

Minou Fuglesang, Femina HIP, TanzaniaMinou Fuglesang, Femina HIP, Tanzania & &

Thomas Tufte,Roskilde University, DenmarkThomas Tufte,Roskilde University, Denmark

Presentation given at IAMCR, Presentation given at IAMCR, Communication and HIV Working GroupCommunication and HIV Working Group

Stockholm, 23 July, 2008Stockholm, 23 July, 2008

Letter AnalysisLetter Analysis

A strategic tool to assess an NGO’s A strategic tool to assess an NGO’s relation with its constituencyrelation with its constituency

A retrospective analysis. Letters from A retrospective analysis. Letters from 1999-20071999-2007

Key Question: What is Femina HIP’s Key Question: What is Femina HIP’s role in contributing to social change role in contributing to social change among Tanzanian youth?among Tanzanian youth?

Sub-QuestionsSub-Questions What are the most important What are the most important themes/topicsthemes/topics

discusseddiscussed by letter writers to by letter writers to FemaFema and and Si Si Mchezo!Mchezo! magazines over the years (1999-2007), magazines over the years (1999-2007), and and by whomby whom? ?

What kinds of What kinds of audience involvement and audience involvement and citizen participationcitizen participation are expressed in the are expressed in the letters?letters?

What does the analysis of the letters say about What does the analysis of the letters say about Femina HIP’s ability to meet its Femina HIP’s ability to meet its overall overall development objectivesdevelopment objectives? ?

Conceptual ApproachConceptual Approach

Participatory Communication/CFSCParticipatory Communication/CFSC Exploring citizenship and governance Exploring citizenship and governance

perspectives on an HIV/AIDS perspectives on an HIV/AIDS communication initiative communication initiative

Exploring CFSC-oriented process Exploring CFSC-oriented process indicators (ownership, leadership, indicators (ownership, leadership, particpation, social norms, etc)particpation, social norms, etc)

Introducing Femina HIPIntroducing Femina HIP Tanzanian NGO, 1999-Tanzanian NGO, 1999- Focuses on RH and Focuses on RH and

HIV/AIDSHIV/AIDS Many donors on board, but Many donors on board, but

is a ’homegrown’ is a ’homegrown’ organisationorganisation

EE through real life storiesEE through real life stories Media outlets include: Two Media outlets include: Two

large magazines, tv talk large magazines, tv talk show, radio drama, show, radio drama, interactive websiteinteractive website

Femina clubsFemina clubs

Femina HIP ObjectivesFemina HIP Objectives

To build supportive To build supportive environments in Tanzania environments in Tanzania where:where:

Young people in their Young people in their communities enjoy their communities enjoy their right to access information right to access information & services and are & services and are empowered to make empowered to make positive informed choices positive informed choices around sexuality and lead around sexuality and lead healthy lifestyles in order healthy lifestyles in order to reduce the negative to reduce the negative impact of HIV/AIDS.impact of HIV/AIDS.

Femina HIP ObjectivesFemina HIP Objectives

To build supportive To build supportive environments in environments in Tanzania where:Tanzania where:

Communities exercise Communities exercise their right to express their right to express themselves, themselves, participate in public participate in public debate & engage in debate & engage in civil society. (Femina civil society. (Femina HIP Logical HIP Logical Framework, 2007)Framework, 2007)

Tanzanian ContextTanzanian Context

Stil low – but now Stil low – but now growing- levels of growing- levels of participation in public participation in public life and decision-life and decision-makingmaking

Weak civil society – Weak civil society – but is changingbut is changing

Low/weak media Low/weak media infrastructureinfrastructure

Femina HIP became a Femina HIP became a visible NGO early onvisible NGO early on

FEMAFEMA

FEMA. A glossy FEMA. A glossy magazine, 64 pages, magazine, 64 pages, 150.000 copies (rising 150.000 copies (rising to 170.000 by end of to 170.000 by end of 2008). Published 4 x a 2008). Published 4 x a year. Targets youth year. Targets youth aged 15-24 especially aged 15-24 especially secondary school secondary school students in every students in every region of the countryregion of the country

SiMchezoSiMchezo

Si Mchezo! 32 Si Mchezo! 32 pages, 140.000 pages, 140.000 copies. copies.

6 x a year. Targets 6 x a year. Targets out of school youth out of school youth and their and their communities communities particularly in rural particularly in rural areas. areas.

Will rise to 250.000 Will rise to 250.000 by end of 2008.by end of 2008.

Other Media OutletsOther Media Outlets

Pilika PilikaPilika Pilika. A radio soap opera. Carries messages from . A radio soap opera. Carries messages from Femina as well as two other organisations. Airs on national Femina as well as two other organisations. Airs on national radio 4 times a week.radio 4 times a week.

FEMA Tv Talk Show.FEMA Tv Talk Show. Half ½ hour talk show. Broadcasts Half ½ hour talk show. Broadcasts on national TV 4 times a week. Mobile phones are used for on national TV 4 times a week. Mobile phones are used for feedback and voting, particularly around the TV.feedback and voting, particularly around the TV.

ChezaSalama ChezaSalama (‘play safe’). Interactive website with a (‘play safe’). Interactive website with a series of activities and information in English and Swahili. series of activities and information in English and Swahili. First of its kind in Tanzania.First of its kind in Tanzania.

Individual Publications:Individual Publications: Range of specialist publications Range of specialist publications produced on for example HIV-testing, Treatment (500.000 produced on for example HIV-testing, Treatment (500.000 copies distributed to all CTC clinics), youth empowerment copies distributed to all CTC clinics), youth empowerment (Watata Bomba, for children/youth was produced in (Watata Bomba, for children/youth was produced in 90.000).90.000).

Letter AnalysisLetter Analysis Of 3000+ received, Of 3000+ received,

sample of 680 letters sample of 680 letters (1999-2007)(1999-2007)

All received by either All received by either Fema or SiMchezoFema or SiMchezo

80% written in Swahili, 80% written in Swahili, 20% in English20% in English

Between a few lines Between a few lines and 10 pages in and 10 pages in length, most below 1 length, most below 1 pagepage

MethodologyMethodology Conceptual development for letter analysisConceptual development for letter analysis Connecting Suruchi Sood (BCC oriented Connecting Suruchi Sood (BCC oriented

indicators) with CFSC indicators: 11 indicators for indicators) with CFSC indicators: 11 indicators for audience involvementaudience involvement

Sampling of 680 lettersSampling of 680 letters Developing code sheetDeveloping code sheet 3 day coding seminar3 day coding seminar Quantitative processesing and reportingQuantitative processesing and reporting Sampling of 70 letters for qualitative analysis (11 Sampling of 70 letters for qualitative analysis (11

indicators organised in 3 categories)indicators organised in 3 categories) Qualitative thematic analysis underwayQualitative thematic analysis underway

Who are the letter writers?Who are the letter writers? More men than women (some group letters)More men than women (some group letters) 81.5 % written by youth (15-24)81.5 % written by youth (15-24) Fema writers have secondary education Fema writers have secondary education SiMchezo writers max primarySiMchezo writers max primary National coverageNational coverage Most writers from areas with Femina community Most writers from areas with Femina community

workwork All English letters sent to FemaAll English letters sent to Fema Many send their foto!Many send their foto! Steady growing amount of lettersSteady growing amount of letters

Character of lettersCharacter of letters

Descriptive (telling a story)Descriptive (telling a story) Advisory (giving advice, making Advisory (giving advice, making

recommendations)recommendations) Questions (asking questions)Questions (asking questions) Opinions (expressing opinions)Opinions (expressing opinions)

Expressing opinions and advisory were Expressing opinions and advisory were slightly bigger than the other slightly bigger than the other categories.categories.

ContentContent

Breadth in topicsBreadth in topics HIV/AIDS most centralHIV/AIDS most central Career/eduction, sex and sexuality, Career/eduction, sex and sexuality,

healthy lifestyles, violence, youth healthy lifestyles, violence, youth involvement in society are amongst involvement in society are amongst other significant topicsother significant topics

Forms and Degrees of Forms and Degrees of Audience InvolvementAudience Involvement

Orientations:Orientations:• Individual behaviour change (mostly Individual behaviour change (mostly

articulated)articulated)• Interpersonal communication and Interpersonal communication and

collective efficacycollective efficacy• Collective action and participation in Collective action and participation in

the public spherethe public sphere

Challenges Challenges

Deepen the understanding or Femina Deepen the understanding or Femina HIP intentions vis-a-vis actual HIP intentions vis-a-vis actual audience discourse and practiceaudience discourse and practice

A gradual move towards increased A gradual move towards increased audience participationaudience participation

Methodological constraints and Methodological constraints and limitations in letter analysis alonelimitations in letter analysis alone