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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 13, 2002
“Journey of Life” Radio Program A Huge Hit
Among Ethiopia's Young Adults in Its First Season
Results Show Large Audience Listening To Program with Safe Sexual Messages ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia—A radio serial drama designed to encourage young Ethiopians to protect themselves from HIV/AIDS and unwanted pregnancies became such a huge hit in its first season that a second season is now planned.
According to a preliminary evaluation by researchers at Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs (JHU/CCP), among those households that regularly listen to the radio, nearly 90% reported hearing Journey of Life. JHU/CCP researchers also reported that close to 90% of those listeners correctly recalled the content and storyline. The evaluation, which was conducted in the capital city of Addis Ababa, found that more than 87% of the households report owning a radio and a little more than 60% report listening to the radio at least once a week.
“The show has been so successful that we are planning an additional 26 episodes,” said Araya Demissie, JHU/CCP's country representative in Ethiopia. “Because Ethiopia has more than its share of HIV/AIDS, we are also extremely heartened to learn that listeners said they are practicing the healthier behaviors demonstrated by some of the show's characters.”
Respondents in the evaluation reported that they felt strongly about making changes in their behavior as a result of listening to Journey of Life, with 92.8% reporting that they changed their health behaviors in a positive way.
The first season of the 26-episode series, which ended in June 2002, used the principles of “entertainment-education” to promote healthy behavior among the listening audience and addressed topics such as unsafe sex, abstinence, family planning, contraception, polygamy, and religion. The program was designed to appeal to young married couples and unmarried adolescents in urban and semi-urban areas of the country. Current research is underway to assess the cumulative effect of the first season nationwide.
The preliminary evaluation also showed that Journey of Life was entertaining, educational, and popular across age groups. Listeners said they related to the characters and the challenges they face in practicing healthier behaviors. For example, one listener said she admired the resolve of one female character, Askale, to “stick to family planning in spite of her mother-in-law's constant nagging to have more children.”
Another listener said: “I know now that AIDS is transmitted through sexual intercourse. It also … helped me to evaluate myself on the role I personally play to prevent and control the spread of HIV/AIDS.”
The mid-term project evaluation fact sheets are available for case study results  and media monitoring results .
For more information about "Journey to Life" contact: Araya Demissie. Tel: 251-1-63-10-62
JHU/CCP, with the support of the U.S. Agency for International Development, provided technical assistance to National Office of Population in Ethiopia in developing the radio series. JHU/CCP is a leader in the field of entertainment-education, which uses music and television, radio, and live drama to deliver public health messages. With representatives in more than 30 countries, JHU/CCP is a pioneer in the field of strategic, research-based communication for behavior change and health promotion that has helped transform the theory and practice of public health communication.
Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, 111 Market Place, Suite 310, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, USA. Tel: 410 659-6300; Fax: 410 659-6266 e-mail: press@jhuccp.org. PRESS ROOM: http://www.jhuccp.org/pressroom/
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