Published: June 26, 2012, 12:00 am
When individuals across Kenya tune into their local community radio station this week, they’ll find a new show on their dial. Jongo Love – a radio series set in urban Kenya – addresses love, relationships and family planning, and seeks to increase contraceptive prevalence rates among Kenya’s youth.
Each episode is followed by a phone-in discussion during which listeners, DJs and experts continue the conversation started during the show. Jongo Love also engages its listeners through interactive question and answer posts on Facebook [1] and Twitter.
Produced by Well Told Story, a recent International Digital Emmy Winner and project partner, Jongo Love is just one of the innovative ways that Tupange [1] – a five-year project, funded by the Gates Foundation – is introducing modern family planning methods in poor, urban communities across Kenya.
Beginning this month, SMS blasts are going out to thousands of residents who have elected to learn new information on family planning topics. Community members visiting Tupange-affiliated health facilities will find the entire staff to be knowledgeable on contraceptives and even users themselves. Clinic-wide trainings have empowered all levels of staff to become advocates for family planning. Community health workers are also conducting mobilization efforts, moving from house to house counseling families on family planning and referring them to integrated health outreach events.
Tupange staff hope that by engaging urban communities as a whole, these efforts will lead to increased approval and uptake of family planning in Kenya.
Learn more about Tupange's achievements in the project newsletter [1] and recent project success stories:
Follow “Jongo Love” on Facebook [1].
