FEATURED PARTNER: POPULATION MEDIA CENTER

Population Media Center (PMC) works worldwide to bring about stabilization of human population numbers at a level that can be sustained by the world’s natural resources and to lessen the harmful impact of humanity on the earth’s environment.

PMC uses entertainment broadcasting to change cultural attitudes and individual behavior with regard to health and social issues. To achieve this, PMC adopted the Sabido methodology, which uses long-running serialized melodramas, written and produced in participating countries in local languages.

Characters are created that gradually evolve into positive role models for the audience. The audience forms emotional bonds with these characters, which can lead to positively influencing listeners’ attitudes and behaviors.

PMC’s serial dramas have addressed issues such as: the use of family planning, adoption of small family norms, avoidance of AIDS, elevation of women's status, protection of children, and related social and health goals, depending upon the relevance of each to the policies of the country in which PMC is working.

PMC has completed projects in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, the Philippines, and Sudan with very impressive results, and currently has programs either broadcasting or in development in Egypt, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Honduras, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Brazil, Jamaica, Mexico, China, Vietnam, and the United States.

PMC distributes a monthly enewsletter with breaking program news from the field, click here to sign up. In addition PMC maintains a population listserv, which is a daily feed of articles about population and related issues. Click here to join the population listserv.

For more information, contact Katie Elmore, Development and Communications Manager at elmore[@]populationmedia.org or (802) 985-8156 x 205.

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Featured Program: Nigeria

PMC launched its second social content radio serial drama in Nigeria in July. Through the use of character role-models, the drama, called Ruwan Dare, aims to enhance knowledge and utilization of existing health services, provide important information about reproductive health and general health issues, encourage use of family planning, promote delaying marriage and childbearing until adulthood, promote small family norms, provide information about HIV transmission, and motivate people to take actions to improve their health and the health of their families. PMC will air 234 episodes over two years.

Ruwan Dare was created as a result of the remarkable success of PMC’s program that aired in 2006-2007 in Kano and Kaduna states in northern Nigeria. The program, titled Gugar Goge (“Tell it to Me Straight”), was a highly popular radio serial drama that addressed issues relating to maternal health and obstetric fistula (a condition commonly resulting from obstructed labor during childbirth that leaves victims incontinent). The evaluation of Gugar Goge pointed to widespread changes in behaviors and attitudes among audience members with regard to the issues addressed in the program. For example, the drama Gugar Goge was reported as the primary motivation to seek health care services by 54% of obstetric fistula clients.

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Featured Program: Training Guide

PMC published a training guide for UNFPA with detailed information on the application of the serial drama methodology. The training guide addressed issues such as the way in which gender discrimination impacts women’s vulnerability to HIV/AIDS. Click here to download it.