Media
Media development action with informed and engaged societies
Media
After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future.
 
Co-founder Victoria Martin is pleased to see this work continue under Wits' leadership. Victoria knows that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction.
 
We honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades. Meanwhile, La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA) continues independently at cila.comminitcila.com and is linked with The CI Global site.
Time to read
1 minute
Print
a- a+
Published 14 years ago
Last updated 1 year ago
Read so far

Life Choices Family Planning Initiative

0 comments

The Life Choices Family Planning Initiative is a multi-media family planning programme launched in Ghana in 2009 that uses music, docudramas, television spots, and print materials to increase the demand and use of modern contraceptive methods, as well as addressing underlying social and behavioural barriers and issues. The campaign is led by the Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs (JHUCCP) in partnership with CARE and PLAN International, and led by the Ministry of Health as part of the four-year United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded Behaviour Change Support (BCS) Project.

Communication Strategies

The Life Choices campaign includes an original song and music video "Obra ne woara bo (Life is what you make it)" that tells that story of Kofi and Nana, two friends who have chosen different life paths. Kofi comes from humble beginnings but with careful planning is able to create a good life. Nana, who now has many children, realises his decisions have not been well thought out, and later takes Kofi's advice and starts using family planning services.

Two mini docudramas also form part of the campaign. "I Clear Am" is a story about a young man who is in for today's fun and couldn't care less about tomorrow's responsibilities. The story weaves together topics of unintended pregnancy and male involvement in an attempt to play on the male ego in a compelling and relevant way. The second docudrama, "Sister Sister", is set among a diverse group of women who meet to talk about social issues. They talk about contraceptive use in a lively, relaxed, and honest way.

The campaign also includes four television spots dealing with choosing a contraceptive method, and featuring everyday people talking about their contraceptive choices. Print materials created for the campaign include a flip chart on contraceptive methods, a leaflet, booklet, posters, and web banners.

The story was developed in partnership with a Ghanaian scriptwriter and Ghanian producers, with direct input from many other Ghanaians.

Click here to visit the BCS Project's Youtube channel.

Development Issues

Family planning, Maternal health

Key Points

The overall purpose of the Ghana Behaviour Change Support (BCS) Project is to assist the GHS at the national, regional, and district levels to support its efforts to achieve health related millennium development goals through sustained and coherent social and behaviour change communication (BCC) interventions. BCS aims to increase demand and use of commodities and services and create positive behaviours in the areas of:

  • maternal neonatal and child health;
  • family planning;
  • malaria prevention and treatment;
  • nutrition; and
  • water, sanitation, and hygiene.

The BCS project is audience focused and driven by the community and family level where behaviour and norms are formed. The primary focus is on households with children and youth, and the communities they live in, the providers they go to, and the district and national leaders that impact them. The project employs the Communication for Social Change model. This aims to blend community, interpersonal, and mass media approaches building synergy around three strategic elements or engines.

Sources

JHUCCP website on February 6 2012.