Sikia Kengele (Listen to the Bell)

Sikia Kengele specifically aims to mobilise communities in high-risk areas including along major transportation corridors and in and around mining and plantation areas. According to T-MARC, the challenge of the campaign is to present faithfulness and partner reduction as valid and desirable HIV-prevention strategies in a country where multiple partner behaviours are widespread and often desirable. In doing so, T-MARC aims to take the promotion of faithfulness out of the sole realm of faith leaders, and into the realm of secular society.

The campaign draws on the involvement of influential people from the community, such as politicians, religious and health leaders, and peer educators. These designated "Bell Ringers" are charged with initiating discussion on the risks associated with having multiple sexual partners and the benefits of knowing one's status and remaining HIV-free. The Bell Ringers also champion Sikia Kengele messages in bars, stadiums, places of worship, farms, bus stations, and other points of interaction.

Bell Ringers also prepare communities for the Giant Bell, a road show (and large bell) which travels to communities with a high profile team of influential people and educators who use music, dance, dramas, and cinema to positively influence people to reduce the number of sexual partners. Emcees invite local community leaders, government officials, members of the media, and others to ring the Giant Bell, calling on the community to wake up and make changes in their behaviour. According to the organisers, the Giant Bell entertainment sessions, designed to mobilise communities into action, do not shy away from addressing negative behaviours such as the sugar daddy phenomena and multiple partnerships.

Supportive radio spots are aired nationally to promote the benefits of faithfulness and to prepare communities to be open and motivated to implement the Kengele initiative.

HIV and AIDS

Data from Uganda, Thailand, and Kenya have shown that partner reduction can have a significant impact on HIV prevalence rates. The 2005 Tanzania HIV/AIDS Indicator Survey revealed that 5% of married women and 24% of married men had more than 1 partner in the 12 months preceding the survey.

The campaign is based on the success of HIV prevention campaigns in Uganda, where HIV prevalence dropped from 15% in 1991 to 5% by 2001. The age of sexual debut, casual and commercial sex trends, partner reduction, and condom use all played a role in decreasing the HIV rates. According to the organisers, however, the most important factor in reducing HIV incidence appears to have been a decrease in multiple sexual partnerships - which they called Zero Grazing (Lisha Pale Pale).

Since the launch of the initiative in March 2007, it has been rolled out in 13 regions in Tanzania.