Pakachere - Malawi

Country

Malawi, South Africa

Region

Africa

Programme Summary

Pakachere is a Health and Development Communications project that Population Services International Malawi (PSI) is undertaking in collaboration with the Soul City Institute for Health and Development Communication, a South African NGO that specialises in health and development communication campaigns that aim to change people's behaviours.

The project develops communications materials using three media - radio, television and print, based on Soul City's methodology of edutainment with a multi-media communications approach. Its prime messages are on HIV/AIDS and other related health issues. .

Communication Strategies

The project adapted the three media that Soul City used in South Africa in its behavioural change communication campaigns: radio, print and television. Pakachere also adapted Soul City Radio drama series II. It was aired from July 2005 to June 2006. A second radio drama adapted from Soul City series IV will be on air in August 2006.

Print

Print media was initially in the form of a full-colour, easy-to-read booklet titled Living Positively with HIV/AIDS, targeted at the general population. This booklet was selected at a stakeholder's workshop on June 12, 2002.

The project adapted two print publication from Soul City. The first one was Living Positively with HIV/AIDS, printed and distributed in 2004. 2.7 million copies were printed and distributed country wide. In 2006 the booklet was still in demand among people in Malawi and the project organisers had to print more. The second booklet was HIV/AIDS and Treatment, printed and distributed between December 2005 and March 2006 respectively.
Television Talk Show

The Pakachere Television Talk Show was produced by PSI/Malawi through Kings-Multi Media productions. The Talk Show was an interactive programme that aimed to bring Malawians together to discuss various issues affecting health. Issues included HIV/AIDS, domestic violence, bullying in schools, and housing problems. The weekly show is made up of an episode of the Soul City drama series, and a locally produced talk show, discussing emerging themes while bringing relevance to Malawi. Guests on the show include expert speakers, government officials from different departments, individual case studies and an audience.

Pakachere produced two television talk shows with a third one under production. The first two were produced by Kings-Multi Media productions while the third one is being produced by Atlas Productions.
Radio Drama

The Pakachere radio drama is the third media that will be produced in this programme. It will also be an adaptation of the Soul City Radio drama series. Adaptations will involve changing the storyline, setting, character and any other features that do not suit the Malawian context.

Pakachere has since shifted from adapting materials from Soul City to producing materials from scratch. Following a formative research process as per the Soul City methodology, Pakachere identified 4 topics to focus on for its new multimedia communication campaign for 2006 - 2007.

The topics Pakachere will be dealing with are HIV/AIDS and Pregnancy, HIV/AIDS and Nutrition, VCT and Domestic Violence. These topics were selected following a topic identification process that involved doing a literature review in various national heath surveys (DHS) consultation with key stakeholders and Key informants.

Development Issues

HIV/AIDS, Health

Key Points

"The aim of the regional expansion project was to adapt the Soul City methodology of edutainment using a multi-media approach while at the same time building the capacities of the participating countries in the management and development of effective multi-media communication campaigns".

"Soul City has been very popular in South Africa for its effective media communication methodology that uses a multi-media edutainment approach. Its popularity and impact have been experienced in some of its neighbouring countries." Eight countries, including Malawi, are included in this regional expansion of the project.

Pakachere compliments its activities through community mobilisation and advocacy activities in the coming years to maximise on its impact. It will identify existing clubs or come up with new ones that must be trained into effective use of the print materials and also to be used for showing the television programmes and listening clubs for the radio dramas. The groups will also be trained in Village Participatory drama so that they can impart the information they get to others through village participatory drama.