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 that they are carrying out to promote healthy behaviors to prevent the spread of malaria in vulnerable populations in Kenya's Western and Nyanza Provinces. This work is closely aligned 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 providing funding for these activities through USAID.

C-Change carried out an assessment of the SBCC capacity of these three NGOs using the C-Change SBCC Capacity Assessment Tool in mid-2009. During November-December 2009, C-Change also carried out  SBCC training for these NGOs on designing and implementing effective SBCC programs as well as monitoring and evaluation and also provided assistance to these NGOs in develoing their SBCC strategy.

Activities that the NGOs are carrying out include increasing demand and correct use of insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITNs) and other vector control methods and ensuring that community health workers and caregivers of children under 5 are up-to-date on knowledge of prevention and treatment of malaria.

Another group particularly vulnerable to malaria is pregnant women.Specific activities are being implemented that address improving the management of malaria in pregnancy (IPTp). Equally important is work to build knowledge among decision makers of the social and economic consequences of malaria and work with the private and public sectors to provide additional resources for prevention, control, and management of malaria.
 

MTV International Activities

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.

Part of this effort is the recently launched premiere of "Shuga," a drama that addresses sexual networks, multiple concurrent partnerships, substance abuse, and living with HIV, all in the context of cultural norms. The project also features 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 parnters 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.