|
||
|
|
Entertainment Education Programs
Senegal: Rap Concert and Hotline Pilot ProjectIntroduction
The live rap concert was professionally videotaped for distribution to referral centers and youth associations and audiotaped for distribution to Health centers in order to disseminate the winning reproductive health messages. On the clip, the rap group is addressing several issues such as protection against STDs/AIDS; family support for people living with HIV/AIDS.. At the end of their song, they hold up posters for the audience to see and give them the two phone numbers of the hotline. The last segment of the clip shows Susan Krenn, chief of the JHU/PCS Africa division handing an award to the winner.
|
|
|
The
Senegal Reaching Men Campaign began in July 1997 with
the aim of encouraging men to get involved in family health
issues, particularly family planning and child survival. The
approach combined three strategies: advocacy with religious
leaders (Islamic brotherhoods) and policy makers (parliamentarians),
a multi-media campaign, and a community mobilization component working with the community health workers of the
Relay Association of Kaolack, one of the three USAID districts
in Senegal.
In
collaboration with the National Family Planning Programme
and the District Health Education unit, Johns Hopkins University
Population Communication Services (JHU/PCS) worked with the
Community Health Workers Association of the Kaolack Maternal
Child Health/Family Planning Reference Center (Amicale des
Relais du Centre de Reference SMI/PF de Kaolack) to raise
awareness of reproductive health issues and increase the use
of services primarily among young men aged 18 to 25. To allow
them to get anonymous family planning and STDs/AIDS information
and referrals to reproductive health services, a Hotline Pilot
Project was innitiated and set up in the family planning clinic
in Kaolack.
To
further mobilize youth around reproductive health, a series
of music, traditional poems, and theatre contest was organized.
Youth were encouraged to develop rap songs, poems and sketches
on reproductive health issues such as STDs/HIV/AIDS, unwanted
pregnancies, the consequences of early pregnancies, and contraception.
Representatives from the different youth groups were trained,
in a one-day session, in incorporating reproductive health
messages in their artistic work. Kaolack was subdivided into
four zones where four selection days were organized. 875 youth
aged 15-20 participated in the contest. Sponsors were contacted
in order to collect awards for the winners. Trophys plus other
prizes were given to the winning groups, and tee-shirts with
family planning messages and the national family planning
logo and hats with the family planning logo were be distributed
as consolation prizes to the other participants.
The
contest culminated in a live rap concert which was advertised
on the radio. The concert took place on October 3, 1998, in
a hall with a capacity of 1000 persons. Many more than this
attended. At the entrance, CFA 500 (the equivalent of a little
less than $1) was charged. The proceeds from the concert were
added to funds awarded by JHU/CCP to build a telecenter (business
selling telecommunication services such as telephone) that
would ultimately sustain the hotline. The income generated
by the telecenter would be used to pay the hotline counselors
honoraria and other hotline bills (utilities, etc.) During
the concert, the hotline was promoted by the different groups
who reminded the audience of the project's objectives as well
as the twp numbers to call, and urged them to call in.
The
video, which documents the rap, poetry and theater contest,
is one of the key interventions included in the project and
demonstrates the use of appropriate media to reach youth.
This is a composite of the winners of the contest and other
favorite performers. Youth in the area presented skits, poetry
and rap about reproductive health issues, specifically AIDS
and STDs. The following performers participated: Black Style
(winners/Rap), IRSHAD, Omar Sylla, Black Kings, A.T.S., Pape
a. Ndiaye, Afrika Ahhloubi, Tefess, Cheikhou O. Gaye, Sanu
Alice, Pape D. Mbaye, Lamine Diop and Bataxie Systeme.
© 2005 The Johns Hopkins University. All rights reserved.