Kenya

C-Change works with Kenya’s government agencies and local and international NGOs to strengthen social and behavior change communication (SBCC) capacity for reproductive health, family planning, malaria prevention and control, and HIV prevention.
 

Malaria Prevention

C-Change is providing technical support to three NGOs--Merlin, PATH, and World Vision--to assist them with programming to promote healthy behaviors to prevent the spread of malaria in vulnerable populations.

The NGOs are working in 12 endemic- and epidemic-prone districts in Kenya’s Western and Nyanza Provinces. Their work closely aligns with the prevention/treatment strategies and corresponding objectives of the Kenyan National BCC Malaria Strategy and the U.S. President's Malaria Initiative (PMI) program, which is funding these activities through USAID.

The NGOs are implementing integrated community-level SBCC malaria activities that promote:

• increased use of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs),
• prompt diagnosis and treatment of fever, and
• demand for intermittent preventive treatment (IPTp) among pregnant women.

They are using community mobilization, interpersonal communication, and local radio to disseminate key malaria prevention messages.

These organizations are also building the capacity of local community health workers (CHW) and community health volunteers (CHV) to be behaviour change agents at the community and household level. One CHW serves 20 households (about 100 people) and is responsible for communicating malaria messages, mobilizing their communities, and promoting utilization of health services including malaria services.

C-Change had assessed the SBCC capacity of the three NGOs using the C-Change SBCC Capacity Assessment Tool in mid-2009. Using the C-Modules, C-Change followed up the assessments with training on designing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating effective SBCC programs in November-December 2009. C-Change also provided technical assistance to these NGOs in development of their SBCC strategy.

MTV International Activities and HIV Prevention

C-Change is providing technical assistance to MTV Networks International and MTV’s Staying Alive Foundation on a mass media campaign in Kenya. The campaign reaches out to young people with awareness and prevention information on HIV/AIDS.

This effort includes the recently launched MTV premiere of "Shuga," a 3-part fast-moving drama that focuses on the lives of several young adults and university students as they confront the realities of love, jobs, and their families. Filmed in Nairobi, the series addresses sexual networks, multiple concurrent partnerships, substance abuse, and living with HIV , in the context of cultural norms. The project has an online component which features the series and interviews with cast members who discuss issues addressed in the drama; a Q&A section with additional information on what youth should know; and blogs where youth can discuss issues and comment on a 'question of the week.'

In addition, the project includes radio programming that mirrors the TV drama; training for local broadcasters to strengthen capacity to produce local programming; and a Training of Trainers (TOT) with an educational toolkit containing materials for youth organizations to carry out effective peer education in communities that are vulnerable to HIV.
 

Male Circumcision Communication Program

An alliance of trained and equipped clinical teams circumcised over 25,000 men in western Kenya in November-December 2009. The Kenya government plans to circumcise 60% of men in Nyanza province by 2014. Achieving this goal would avert 47,000 HIV infections through 2025. Kenya made this commitment after WHO announced that countries should incorporate medical male circumcision (MC) into national HIV prevention strategies.

Demand creation for MC has been moderately successful, but other communication around MC is needed. C-Change is assisting the government of Kenya and working closely with local partners to develop innovative communication materials, tools and media on MC that emphasize community mobilization and outreach.

Communication messages will include promoting safe healing and follow-up checks for clients after circumcision as well as the importance of continued HIV testing. Also essential is communication that emphasizes continued use of condoms to ensure there is no added vulnerability to women and specific messages that while MC reduces risk for men, MC does NOT prevent HIV. These messages are important for newly circumcised clients and others in the community to reinforce the knowledge that MC is an important part of preventing HIV but must be combined with other behaviors to be effective.

As well as producing communication materials, C-Change is working with partners to develop a regional communication programming framework on MC. Conducting formative research and monitoring media coverage are included in in the communication efforts.
 

Family Planning Activities

In family planning and reproductive health, C-Change is supporting government efforts to develop a national behavior change communication strategy and is developing implementation guidelines for USAID partners and local NGOs. C-Change is also helping to strengthen the SBCC capacity of the Ministry of Health's Division of Reproductive Health through a series of trainings. C-Change is building partnerships that help Kenyans promote healthy spacing of births; prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT); and encourage pregnant women to use mosquito nets, seek prenatal care, and follow-up with postnatal care after giving birth.