Green Umbrella Campaign

• Overview
• Activities
• Project Impact

Overview

Green Umbrella Logo

After nearly a year of planning, the Green Umbrella logo was launched on September 24, 1996 to an enthusiastic audience of more than 3,000 people at the Indoor Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka.

The "Green Umbrella" is the logo which marks the places where maternal/child health and family planning services are provided. The logo publicity program included a national launch, advertisements in newspapers, on radio and television. The logo is intended to help people identify centers easily where essential health and family planning services are provided. The logo and its accompanying slogan "Take services, stay well" was the first national logo in Bangladesh to represent integrated family planning and health services.

The Green Umbrella logo, symbolizing hope and protection for families, could be seen in every hospital, health complex, family planning center, satellite clinic and even the houses of field workers. This logo campaign also included regional activities in Chittagong Division, Barisal Division, Khulna Division, and Sylhet Division.

The Green Umbrella represents the national Family Planning-Maternal Child Health agenda under which each of the individual government and NGO programs and services is coordinated.

A campaign presentation video is available for viewing.

Activities

Shabuj Shathi Poster

Shabuj Shathi (Evergreen Companion)

Shabuj Shathi is a classic example of the Entertainment Education (EE) approach to health communication in which an exciting story is developed with important health messages blended in naturally, and subtly. The popular approach is persuasive and profitable and which has proven to be highly successful in bringing about positive changes in audience attitudes and behavior.

The 13-episode entertainment education television drama, Shabuj Shathi was a key follow-up to the Green Umbrella campaign. It is a love story between Bokul, a young field health worker, and the recently widowed Hafiz. Bokul faces many challenging situations in her personal life and role as a "social teacher" in the community, but despite overwhelming odds, she perseveres in her efforts to help community members make a better life for themselves and their families. The drama premiered in October 1997 and was broadcast once a week, during prime-time on Bangladesh Television (BTV).

Related paper: "Impact Of The Shabuj Sathi Television Drama Of Bangladesh: Key Findings."

Shabuj Chhaya (Green Shadows)

Over 600,000 fan mail letters were received.

Following the success of the Shabuj Shathi, a new 13-episode drama, Shabuj Chhaya was developed to create social awareness in taking responsibility for one's health. The drama encouraged families to go to and use the services at the Green Umbrella clinics for their health needs. Set in the village of Shukhanpukur, Shabuj Chhaya depicts vivid stories of village life interwoven with health messages about immunization for children, Vitamin A, diarrhea prevention and treatment, family planning for newlyweds, adolescent health, ante- and post-natal care, and HIV/AIDS. The central character is an energetic and dedicated Doctor Jalal, who tries to persuade people to take responsibility for their health. On his shoulders rest the hopes of those he serves. The program was aired primetime on Bangladesh TV from January to May 2000.

Related Paper: "Impact of the Shabuj Chhaya Television Drama in Bangladesh: Key Findings from Audience Survey"

Project Impact

Poster presentation for the Green Umbrella TV Drama (5.4MB)

Nationally, Shabuj Shathi was watched by 35% of Bangladeshis 15 years and older. However, 71% of the Bangladesh population in urban areas and 65% in rural areas with access to television watched Shabuj Shathi, according to the National Media Survey conducted by Org-Marg Quest Ltd. (OMQ) in 1998. More than 50% of these viewers watched at least half the episodes and almost all indicated that they would like to watch a rebroadcast of the drama. The quality of the writing and production was such that Lever Brothers sponsored the drama by paying for airtime and contributing to production costs.

Poster presentation for the Shabuj Chhaya TV Drama (6.5MB)

Overall health knowledge was found to be significantly related to the number of episodes watched and number of messages recalled, after controlling for socio-economic characteristics and other sources of health knowledge. Visiting a family planning or health facility was also significantly related to watching the drama. Almost 35% of married women who watched the drama said that they had visited a family planning or health facility within the last 6 months compared to 23% of those who did not watch the drama. Married women who saw the drama were found to be 1.8 times more likely to have visited a health facility and 1.6 times more likely to use a modern contraceptive than women who did not watch Shabuj Shathi.