Background
In the framework of the Well Women Media Project, Uruana, a 15 minute-long radio soap, has been running for four years. The idea being to promote positive attitudes and behaviour towards women’s sexual and reproductive healthcare through an educational programme in the media. The main health messages dealt with include STI/HIV/AIDS prevention, family planning, youth sexuality, gender equality, female genital mutilation and birth spacing. It is an "Edutainment" approach : the goal is to deliver public health messages to the population through an entertaining programme which will hopefully encourage people to discuss the issues.
An Interactive Programme
The success of Uruana is due to its needs-based and audience-driven production. Indeed, the writers visit people to find out what concerns they have about health. They also ask for feedback about the show and check if the messages have been understood. Simple language, and true-to-life messages contribute to people identifying with the characters of the soap. Since 2004, community outreach shows have been organised so that the producers can meet the audience. This gives listeners the opportunity to ask the actors questions. Such events have gathered more than 7,000 people so far.
Support and partnerships
Uruana radio soap has been supported since 1999 by Uruana Development Communication (UDC), an NGO committed to the development of the Uruana show. The show hopes to become independent by 2010. One of the successes of Uruana is its coordination with stakeholders at every stage of the production. They have worked alongside the Rwandan Ministry of Health, other NGOs, the European Commission, UNICEF, BBC, and Radio Rwanda- the show’s producer.
Impact of the Project
The programme has become more and more popular since its first broadcast. Some surveys have shown that people have been encouraged to go to the medical center more often to ask for information or treatment.
Comments
Such an initiative is really interesting, and testifies to the will of an organisation to find ways to compensate for the lack of government involvement in rural areas. Questions remain concerning the sustainability of the project and the active support of the Ministry. Indeed, if people demand care, there needs to be a government response in terms of more medicines and healthcare centres. Nevertheless, this soap has won awards and the Rwandan Ministry for Health undertook a guest appearance at the show. We have hopes that this initiative be taken further to other regions.
