Ghana Behavior Change Support (BCS)

Overview

The Ghana Behavior Change Support (BCS) project is a four-year, USAID-funded project managed by the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs (CCP) in partnership with the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service (GHS).

The overall purpose of the project is to assist the GHS at the national, regional and district levels to support its efforts to achieve health-related millennium development goals through sustained and coherent social and behavior change communication (BCC) interventions. BCS aims to increase demand and use of commodities and services and create positive behaviors in the areas of:

• Maternal Neonatal & Child Health
• Family Planning
• Malaria Prevention & Treatment
• Nutrition
• Water, Sanitation, & Hygiene

The BCS project is audience focused and driven by the community and family level where behavior and norms are formed. The primary focus is on households with children and youth, and the communities they live in, the providers they go to and the district and national leaders that impact them. The project employs the Communication for Social change model. This aims to blend community, interpersonal and mass media approaches building synergy around three strategic elements or engines.

BCS PLATFORMS

• Addressing a wide spectrum of health topics simultaneously through an integrated approach, Ghana BCS is creating educational and entertaining programs/series that will go on over the duration of the project.
• Utilizing BCC campaigns to focus on one or two specific health issues at a time with high intensity and limited duration.
• Working closely with regional, district, & sub-district health teams to build and strengthen the network of local NGOs to undertake effective and synergized community mobilization in both rural and urban settings.

Accomplishments

GoodLife Campaign

• Completed 13 episodes of the GoodLife Game Show, an exciting platform that engages and challenges the target audience to adopt health living habits.
• Hosted the GoodLife New Years concert featuring many popular Ghanaian artists including Iwan, Ohemaa Mercy, VIP, 4X4, Castro, Bra Kevin, 2 Toff, Borax, Atsu Koliko and many more.
• Launched the National GoodLife campaign on November 25, 2010.
• Produced GoodLife mass media campaign materials, including billboards, posters, stickers and TV spots, as well as the Daily GoodLife Guide and GoodLife Quiz.

FP Life Choices Campaign

• Launched the “Life Choices” campaign highlighting demand, supply and quality of services.
• Developed campaign support materials including, press advertorial, flipchart, booklets, brochures, posters and bumper sticker.
• Flighted and aired “Life Choices” signboards and radio spots throughout three focus regions.
• Developed “Life Choices” TV spot, educating viewers on the various modern contraceptive methods available in Ghana.
• Designed five minute mini-docudramas exploring misconceptions around contraceptive use, male involvement and unintended pregnancy.
• Produced new music video in support of the “Life Choices” campaign and the original “Life Choices” song, “Life is what you make it”.
• Created Family Planning Community Action Kit, which includes the Youth Action Kit, Coach Guides, Teen Passport and Trigger Sketches.

”Aya ye de” Malaria Campaign

• Launched the "Aya ye de" malaria campaign in June 2011, highlighting Ghanaian hip hop artist Nana Boroo.

Community Mobilization