Tuvuge Rwatu (Speak Openly)

Each programme is 30 minutes in length, pre-recorded, and built around interviews with adolescents. Journalists collect material for 13 shows on field trips every 4 months. According to the organisers, journalists strive to get a balance of opinions between boys and girls. Scripts are written first in English, then reviewed, modified, and translated into the local language. When ready, the show is voiced in STF's studio, mixed, burned to CD, and sent out to stations. In addition, STF has 41 monitors around the country, mostly students, who listen to every show and make sure it is aired on time, in full, with no interruptions.

Every show contains a quiz question and 4 songs, each dedicated to 3 listeners. Listeners' personal questions are also answered on-air. At the end of the show, interviews are conducted with adults to provide advice and to contextualise the issues raised. The show regularly features local health workers. According to the organisers, this strategy has led to increased attendance at health units, particularly for voluntary counselling and testing (VCT).

Programmes are developed with the help of extensive interviews in the field by journalists, who have also taken on the role of HIV educators, relationship counsellors, community animators, and condom demonstrators - depending on the situation and conversations they have with youth and community members.

Reproductive Health, HIV/AIDS, Youth

Tuvuge Rwatu provided STF with a case study for developing communication projects.

The community in Kisoro is both geographically and linguistically isolated, so their exposure to STF radio programmes was limited, and listenership was very low. An STF study on the programme showed that, by February 2008, listenership had increased significantly. It also showed that young people had taken important messages around sexual health from the show, and were acquiring knowledge about basic HIV-related behaviours that seemed new to them, such as the importance of HIV testing. In addition, the study found that 35% of listeners formed listening clubs as a result of the show so that they could learn and discuss the issues together.