The Dabbawalla Lunchbox Campaign used a variety of communication tactics to reach the workplace by creating what was intended to be a highly visible, integrated campaign covered by print and electronic media. The campaign relies on the involvement of dabbawalas to serve as both the medium and the message: As part of this century-old institution, approximately 5,000 dabbawalas pick up lunch boxes ("dabbas") from homes and deliver them to an estimated 200,000 workers across Mumbai.

These dabbawalas acted as both an audience and a channel as part of the campaign. On December 1 2005 they delivered "creatively designed" materials and coasters bearing HIV/AIDS messages based on the global World AIDS Day theme "Stop AIDS, Keep the Promise" within lunch boxes to over 100,000 Mumbaikars. Chief Minister (CM) and Health Minister of Maharashtra along with senior officials also received the dabba and the message at a public function at Thane, Mumbai. In addition to wearing red ribbons on their shirts in honour of World AIDS Day, the dabbawalas took an oath to fight for the cause as part of an effort to inspire and exemplify proactive community action.

In addition to participation on the part of dabbawalas and high-profile political figures, the media took steps to engage audiences in the initiative. On December 1, an interactive campaign on HIV/AIDS awareness was launched on local FM radio station Radio City FM 91 (one listener commented, "We cannot ask these questions to just anyone...but feel comfortable asking Radio City!"). The radio component of the campaign featured a live chat with a doctor, an hourly quiz on HIV/AIDS-related facts in the form of a contest to address myths around the issue, and interviews with dabbawalas, housewives, people living with HIV/AIDS, and office-goers. Radio City FM 91 encouraged people to wear the red ribbons and to SMS the numerals spelling 'CARE', signifying their commitment to the fight against HIV/AIDS. Information on and coverage of local World AIDS Day activities were also included.

HIV/AIDS.

According to the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) of India, the estimated number of adults living with HIV in India as of 2005 is 5.21 million. Within India, Maharashtra has one of the highest numbers of people living with HIV, which is no longer restricted to high-risk groups and is spreading to the general population.

Organisers state that there was positive feedback on the efficacy of the initiative, with the majority of respondents in a survey claiming that that the Dabbawalla Lunchbox Campaign was an innovative idea and a good medium of communication, with 91% of those in the 21- to 30-year-old age group finding the items attractive. 84% of the respondents recalled one message or the other on the coaster, and 72% had begun using the item sent along with their dabbas. Organisers will draw on strategic partnership with the dabbawalas to extend this initiative to other HIV/AIDS issues.

The WPI HIV/AIDS Prevention, Care and Support and Stigma Reduction programme is being implemented by HCP in collaboration with Avert Society in Maharashtra and supported by the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The main focus has been on 4 core areas: advocating with the media and content creators to report responsibly and accurately on HIV/AIDS issues; designing a comprehensive youth campaign to implement via the mass media and community mobilisation activities; designing a care and support campaign; and building the capacity of corporations and the private sector to respond to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

To cite one example, HCP and Avert Society designed and disseminated corporate advocacy folders for Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) in July 2005 on Occupational Health Day and in September 2005 at a conference on corporate social responsibility in New Delhi. The CEOs signed pledges at Mumbai and Delhi signifying their commitment to addressing HIV/AIDS at the workplace; year 2006 desk calendars containing their pledges and key prevention actions were distributed to CEOs, senior human resources (HR) personnel, and welfare officers. HCP is also producing an advocacy film on WPI for industry heads and managers.