Ushikwapo Shikamana Comic Strip

This initiative uses a creative strategy to approach the difficult subject of HIV/AIDS in an effort to break down barriers to open discussion about the disease. It uses an entertaining, printed medium - a comic strip - in an effort to eduate Kenyans about this disease, as well as about issues such as female circumcision, forced marriages, large family size, the status of women, and drug abuse. The approach involves positive thinking and messages; in the words of Dr. Kimani Njogu, who initiated the comic strip, those who create it "affirm life and take the position that individuals and communities can make a difference in people’s lives. We argue for self and collective efficacy...that we can determine our own destiny. Through characterisation, we approach issues of prevention, de-stigmatisation, and coming out with love and care."

Ushikwapo Shikamana is issued 3 times per week in Taifa Leo (a Kiswahili newspaper). It is printed in colour. A comic book collection of the strip was released in 2001; it is distributed through bookstores, adult literacy programmes, and youth, women’s and church groups throughout Kenya. The second collection was scheduled to be released in December 2002.

Family Planning, Population, HIV/AIDS, Gender, Women, Rights, Health, Nutrition, Youth, Education.

Dr. Njogu worked closely with the editor of Taifa Leo and with a cartoonist, researcher, and a media intern to produce the comics. The staff at the newspaper held weekly meetings to determine the direction of the comic strip for that week. The team reviewed the radio script and identified ideas worth presenting graphically. The dialogue was then prepared and the cartoonist worked on the sketches which would be reviewed. The comic strip would then be fine tuned and presented to Taifa Leo as a finished piece. On a monthly basis, a researcher reviewed the values that were reflected in the strip and analysed the letters sent in by the audience to advise the team.