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Straight Talk Foundation (STF) Avian Influenza Radio Campaign

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Launched by Straight Talk Foundation (STF) and supported by DANIDA (the Danish bilateral agency)'s Agriculture Sector Programme Support (ASPS) and the Poultry Association of Uganda (PAU), this was a three month radio campaign initiated in Kampala, Uganda to raise awareness of the low level of risk to farmers and consumers in Uganda despite the growing threat of avian influenza in surrounding areas of Africa in early 2006.

STF is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) addressing health and development through radio and print communication interventions in Uganda.
Communication Strategies

Between March and May 2006, Straight Talk Foundation (STF) ran a radio campaign in Kampala Uganda to address community awareness about avian influenza and the non-existent risks in the area at that time. STF designed two 30-second radio spots, which ran three times a day for a period of three months in nine Ugandan languages and in English on eighteen FM radio stations.

The spots were meant to dispel growing fears among poultry farmers and consumers about sick poultry and the possibility of contracting avian flu by eating poultry. Main messages included: "Farmers don't fear to restock your poultry houses. Bird flu is not in Uganda." and "Bird flu is not in Uganda, and farmers are maintaining excellent hygiene to protect the birds. So we can all keep eating delicious chicken."

Development Issues

Health, Natural Resource Management.

Key Points

According to STF, by the end of the campaign, poultry sales had stabilised and poultry was on the communities' menus again.

As of this writing, avian Influenza has not yet reached Uganda. This campaign was initiated in early 2006 because it was at this time that bird flu had started threatening some African countries, including neighbouring Sudan. If avian flu does appear in Uganda, STF plans to continue with this campaign, to ensure that families, farmers and communities know how to deal with the disease in birds and the possibility of a pandemic flu in humans.

Partners

Straight Talk Foundation(STF), Poultry Association of Uganda, and Agriculture Sector Programme Support (ASPS)/Danida.

Sources

Email from Pamela Sinia to The Communication Initiative, August 14 2006.

Comments

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Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 10/26/2006 - 21:57 Permalink

This article like all others only talk about the messages diseminated. It would help if articles can also state the behavioural issue and how the concerns were addressed through this piece of communication.