"Come Let's Talk"

• Overview
• Activities
• Evaluation

Overview

The campaign theme Aao Batein Karein (Come Let's Talk), illustrated by the Tota and Mynah birds, is intended to desensitize the issue of family planning. The campaign encourages open dialogue about FP between young couples, service providers and clients, in-laws, friends, and policy makers in a non-threatening, invitational, non-controversial but action-oriented way. In India, 46% of decisions about family planning are made by someone other than the wife.

In all of Northern India, the Tota and Mynah birds are recognized as secular symbols representing the male and female form. They are known for their talkative nature and for their stories, which include opposing points of view, banter, humor, riddles, and poetry. They clearly symbolize discussion and are prominently displayed on all campaign materials.

Activities

• Over 9,000 grass-root level workers, from the public sector NGOs and Dairy Cooperatives were oriented on the campaign theme, logo, and objectives and trained in the use of the campaign interpersonal communication (IPC) materials. An innovative approach was used to orient and train field workers in an entertaining and interactive way through specially organized melas (fairs/exhibitions).



• Interpersonal Communication (IPC) materials bearing the "Come Let's Talk" campaign logo include a flip-book, poster, sticker, badge, carrying bag (for field workers); wall chart and contraceptive methods desk calendar; and takeaway calendars (for clients).
  
  

• Folk Media: UP has a rich and diverse array of folk forms (singing, theater, ballet, puppetry) which are extremely popular. Professional folk troupes were trained to incorporate the "Come Let's Talk" theme, logo characters, and family planning messages into their folk performances.



• Mass Media: Mass media is an efficient way to reach the 17 to 25 year old age group in UP. TV and radio spots encourage discussion on family planning, clarify fears and concerns about methods, and direct clients to the service providers and service sites. Four TV and nine radio spots (method specific and campaign theme), five press advertisements (advocacy), and wall paintings (rural equivalent of billboards) have been produced and aired or published.
  

Poster presentation for the "Come Let's Talk" campaign (6.8MB)

Evaluation

A large-scale baseline survey with a sample size of over 3,500 clients and more than 500 service providers to track the campaign was completed.