Entertainment Education Programs

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Haiti: "Zanmi" Music Video

Background
The Youth Reproductive Health project was a pilot project aimed at youth between the ages of 15-24 in the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince. Its goal was to promote reproductive health issues among youth. The project was designed during a period of political unrest and financial crisis in Haiti. In fact, it came to life during the 1995 UN tightening of the embargo imposed on the country. It is the first project of its kind in Haiti.

In September 1995, the Fondation de Santé Reproductive et d'Education Familiale (FOSREF), in collaboration with the Center for Development and Health (CDS) and with support from Johns Hopkins University Population Communication Services (JHU/PCS), held a one-week message and materials development workshop. The participants were young members of FOSREF and CDS projects. During the workshop the young participants developed the following materials:

• a sexual responsibility game
• a song for a music video
• three radio spots
• three photonovels
• other media support materials including a poster and a general information leaflet

Zanmi
A song and music video were products of the Youth Reproductive Health Project. Their themes are:

• protecting and respecting yourself and your relationships and
• sexualresponsibility

Both the song and the video were produced by King Posse, a well known rap group in Haiti, with financial support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and technical support from ASPHA (Haitian Public Health Association).

The video continues to be played on commercial TV in Haiti and the song is heard regularly on the radio. It is an excellent example of the "enter educate" approach because the song is perceived by the Haitian public as just another song by King Posse and not as a song with a health-related message. Everybody, particularly adolescents, knows the lyrics of the song.

Lyrics (translated from Creole)
Chorus:
Let's take care! Let's control ourselves!
When we are ready, So as not to have any regrets!
You love me, I love you! Let's take care!
You love me, I love you!
Let's control ourselves!
You love me, I love you! When we are ready!

Verse 1:
Friends, let's sit down and talk
Making love is normal
But we must control ourselves so as not to have any regrets.

Verse 2:
We must be careful about drugs and alcohol
So we do not have sex when we do not want to
Let's not listen to friends who call us 'koyo'
Do not let a friend pressure you!
When the time comes, let's be ready!

Verse 3:
Having sex without protection is dangerous
You can catch a disease
You can have an unwanted pregnancy
Let's prevent this from happening

Verse 4:
To guarantee our health and our future
Two must act together and have sex when ready
Always use a condom so as not to have any regrets.

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