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Radio Campaign against Child StuntingCountryUganda RegionAfrica Programme SummaryThis campaign against child stunting in Uganda was run by Media for Development (MDF) - formerly known as Radio for Development (RDF) - and forms part of the Nutrition and Early Childhood Development Project, or NECDP (click here for more details about the NECDP in PDF format ). This project aimed to change people's behavioural patterns by educating communities, and families in particular, about children's health. It sought to raise awareness of nutritional issues and address issues such as complementary feeding practices and food security, hygiene and sanitation practices, early childhood development, and positive parental interaction. In order to achieve these goals, MFD was commissioned to set up 25 Community Radio Listening Clubs (RLCs) in 11 districts of Uganda. Communication StrategiesCentral to the NECDP campaign strategy was attention to different stages of behavioural change. According to MDF, communication activities need to progress in distinct stages, from an awareness-building and sensitisation phase to education and information, and, finally, to motivation for trial of new behaviours. MDF developed the following 3-stage strategy:
MFD also coordinated awareness-generating campaigns through local and national radio programmes. These programmes were broadcast in two of the major languages: Runyankole and Luganda. Development IssuesChildren, Health, Nutrition. Key PointsAccording to a report published by MFD, "Despite Uganda's plentiful food supplies, over twelve percent of its children die before their first birthday because of malnutrition that triggers disease. Surviving children are often chronically undernourished. As a result 40 percent of Uganda's 24.7 million population cope with child-growth stunting on a day-to-day basis. By contrast, this problem is only experienced by two percent of the global population. More than one third of Uganda's children under 35 months are too short for their age with insufficiently developed long bones. The children's physical underdevelopment means that they suffer from a corresponding deficiency in their mental development that leaves them intellectually and socially deprived.... "Although it’s too early to confirm the impact of the communications strategy developed by MFD, ...[f]igures from NECDP Management Information Systems showed that the project reduced malnutrition among children. For example, the malnutrition level for children under 72 months in project areas was reduced from 23.1 percent in July 2002 to 13.5 percent as of March 2003." PartnersMedia for Development, The World Bank, The Ministry of Health. ContactJames Greenshields
Director, Radio for Development 2nd Floor 19-21 Phipp Street London EC2A 4NP United Kingdom Tel.: +44 (0) 20 7729 8866 Mobile: +44 (0) 7980 272634 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7739 4810 jgreenshields@rfd.org.uk RfD website Related SummariesPlaced on the Soul Beat Africa site June 26 2006 Last Updated January 18 2008 |
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