Addis Ababa University

This 157-page thesis looks at the efficacy in HIV/AIDS prevention of the Sabido method of producing radio serial dramas, which combines entertainment with carefully planned educational messages. The paper is based on the evaluation of two Ethiopian serial dramas, "Yeken Kignit" and "Dhimbiba", both produced with the support of the Population Media Center (PMC). The author analyses the advantages and disadvantages of Sabido method drama, as well as the tasks that need to be considered for this type of drama to be effective in HIV/AIDS prevention initiatives. The paper argues that the practical evidence confirms that the Sabido method has caused a dramatic change in many countries, in terms of: preventing HIV/AIDS; promoting developmental, health, and family planning issues; advocating gender equality; supporting literacy campaigns; and so on. According to the paper, a good mix of research, art, and journalism is key.

The report begins with a review of how art is both affecting and being affected by social, cultural, political, and economic life in any given society, and underscores how, in the African context, art was used historically to mobilise and sensitise people against colonial rule. The author also provides a historical background on entertainment-education practice from its first incarnation in the 1920s through to the developments of Miguel Sabido in the mid-1970s to mid-1980s.

The report goes on to examine the production procedures followed to produce "Yeken Kignit" and "Dhimbiba" and analyses the script contents to find out to what extent the scripts articulate the main messages in the dramas. According to the author, in the Sabido methodology, the analysis of scripts is conducted to investigate how far the educational messages are articulated and addressed by the dramas to encourage the audience to adopt the desired behavioural changes. The study found that the major messages of "Yeken Kignit", which are related to HIV/AIDS, revolved around pre-marital sex and extra-marital affairs, drugs and HIV/AIDS, stigma versus care and support for the infected and affected, and voluntary counselling and testing. Similarly, illiteracy, tradition, gender, and pre-marital and extra-marital sex are the major issues in "Dhimbiba".

The document then summarises the qualitative and quantitative assessments conducted to evaluate the impact of the dramas. Qualitative assessments were done through focus groups, in-depth interviews, and interviews with key informants. The quantitative study was carried out through the distribution of questionnaires.

Some of the report's key findings are as follows:

• "Yeken Kignit" has garnered a large listenership, with many listeners viewing it as one of the main information outlets on HIV/AIDS, family planning, social life, etc.
• Although "Dhimbiba"'s listenership is smaller, it still has a great deal of impact on its regular listeners.
• Survey respondents indicated that radio dramas may be preferable to many other ways of communication as long as the dramas are of reasonable quality.
• Survey respondents indicated increased knowledge about HIV/AIDS and health, as well as changes in their own behaviour, such as testing for HIV or giving up alcohol.
• The length of the dramas, large number of characters, and exaggerated positive and negative characteristics somewhat eroded the credibility and attractiveness of the characters.
• Overall, the assessment provided convincing evidence of the potential drama has to effect change in developmental and social problems.

The study concludes that resources expended for dramas such as "Yeken Kignit" and "Dhimbiba" were well spent in light of their impact on individual awareness and behaviours. It suggests that there remains a huge potential for art, and specially drama, to be applied to a number of developmental and social problems. In this respect, the Sabido entertainment-education methodology could also be used in areas such as agriculture, literacy, malaria, and poverty reduction activities. However, in order to expand the method into various fields, academia and professionals should first understand and recognise its huge potential.

Ethiopian AIDS Resource Centre website on July 14 2008.