Interim Evaluation

Author: 
Lebohang Letsela
Renay Weiner
Publication Date

October 1 2009

Affiliation: 

Soul City Institute for Health and Development Communication

This 36-page report, published by the Soul City Institute for Health and Development Communication, provides an interim evaluation of the OneLove Campaign in South Africa. The evaluation describes and quantifies the key activities of the campaign in the first 18 months and provides an opportunity to measure the reach and reception of the campaign, identify any impacts to date, and enables reflection on gaps and areas for focus going forward.

The OneLove prevention campaign was launched by the Soul City Institute in 2009 to contribute to the reduction of HIV incidence in South Africa. Through an extensive research and consultation process, key campaign messages were developed and integrated into the three core components of the campaign, namely mass media, social mobilisation, and advocacy. The campaign is being extended through partnerships with the non-governmental organisations (NGOs), government, and business sectors.

Mixed methods using several sources of data were used to monitor and evaluate the campaign to date. These include a nationally representative household survey, as part of the 2009 National Communications Survey; two qualitative studies looking at self-reported intended behaviour related to the campaign and responses to the Love Stories film series; and routine data collection including media monitoring data, registers of HIV community training and dialogues, toolkit distribution, reports from partners, and a review of print media clippings.

According to the evaluation, the campaign reached an estimated 61% of the adult target population, or 17 million people, within the first five months of the launch. The Soul City 9 television series, which carried OneLove messages, reached 51% of the population and was the second highest performing programme in terms of viewership for the three months that it aired. In the first 18 months of the campaign, over 16,000 adults attended OneLove HIV community-based training, and over 4000 people attended 55 community dialogues. Some 91 newspaper articles and 37 magazine articles addressing One Love were published.

The qualitative data revealed that the intended audience found the messaging to be relevant and realistic, as well as educational and entertaining. Good story and message recall was demonstrated. The Love Stories series, comprising ten films from across the southern African region which conveyed the OneLove message, also succeeded in building a sense of regional cohesiveness.

The quantitative and qualitative studies provided evidence of some impact of the campaign on knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour or intended behaviour. The campaign was associated with an increase in knowledge about partner reduction and "gap length", and a decreased likelihood of increased numbers of partners compared to the preceding year among single women. Other areas of impact were an increase in condom use overall, a decrease in reported transactional sex amongst men, and greater debate and discussion with partners and children associated with watching Soul City 9 TV. The report states that the campaign was not found to be associated with a decrease in the proportion of people who reported more than one partner in the last month.

Community action plans were documented following community dialogues. According to the report, approximately 35% of these related to holding local HIV awareness campaigns and/or OneLove community dialogues. Spontaneous activity initiated within communities such as OneLove community and student marches were initiated within the first phase of the campaign, and a strong partnership was formed with North West Province to implement the campaign provincially. Advocacy efforts raised the profile of the campaign in the media and at public debates.

In conclusion, the report states that future opportunities for the campaign include strengthening and expanding provincial partnerships for implementation, as well as facilitation and follow-up of community action plans.

Source: 

Soul City website on April 28 2011.