Minou Fuglesang, Femina HIP, Tanzania & Thomas Tufte,Roskilde University, Denmark

1. Resounding the Voices- Letter Writing, Audience Participation and HIV/AIDS Communication for Social Change Minou Fuglesang, Femina HIP, Tanzania & Thomas Tufte,Roskilde University, Denmark Presentation given at IAMCR, Communication and HIV Working Group Stockholm, 23 July, 2008

2. Letter Analysis • A strategic tool to assess an NGO’s relation with its constituency • A retrospective analysis. Letters from 1999-2007 • Key Question: What is Femina HIP’s role in contributing to social change among Tanzanian youth?

3. Sub-Questions • What are the most important themes/topicsdiscussed by letter writers to Fema and Si Mchezo! magazines over the years (1999-2007), and by whom? • What kinds of audience involvement and citizen participation are expressed in the letters? • What does the analysis of the letters say about Femina HIP’s ability to meet its overall development objectives?

4. Conceptual Approach • Participatory Communication/CFSC • Exploring citizenship and governance perspectives on an HIV/AIDS communication initiative • Exploring CFSC-oriented process indicators (ownership, leadership, particpation, social norms, etc)

5. Introducing Femina HIP • Tanzanian NGO, 1999- • Focuses on RH and HIV/AIDS • Many donors on board, but is a ’homegrown’ organisation • EE through real life stories • Media outlets include: Two large magazines, tv talk show, radio drama, interactive website • Femina clubs

6. Femina HIP Objectives To build supportive environments in Tanzania where: • Young people in their communities enjoy their right to access information & services and are empowered to make positive informed choices around sexuality and lead healthy lifestyles in order to reduce the negative impact of HIV/AIDS.

7. Femina HIP Objectives To build supportive environments in Tanzania where: • Communities exercise their right to express themselves, participate in public debate & engage in civil society. (Femina HIP Logical Framework, 2007)

8. Tanzanian Context • Stil low – but now growing- levels of participation in public life and decision-making • Weak civil society – but is changing • Low/weak media infrastructure • Femina HIP became a visible NGO early on

9. FEMA • FEMA. A glossy magazine, 64 pages, 150.000 copies (rising to 170.000 by end of 2008). Published 4 x a year. Targets youth aged 15-24 especially secondary school students in every region of the country

10. SiMchezo • Si Mchezo! 32 pages, 140.000 copies. • 6 x a year. Targets out of school youth and their communities particularly in rural areas. • Will rise to 250.000 by end of 2008.

11. Other Media Outlets • Pilika Pilika. A radio soap opera. Carries messages from Femina as well as two other organisations. Airs on national radio 4 times a week. • FEMA Tv Talk Show. Half ½ hour talk show. Broadcasts on national TV 4 times a week. Mobile phones are used for feedback and voting, particularly around the TV. • ChezaSalama (‘play safe’). Interactive website with a series of activities and information in English and Swahili. First of its kind in Tanzania. • Individual Publications: Range of specialist publications produced on for example HIV-testing, Treatment (500.000 copies distributed to all CTC clinics), youth empowerment (Watata Bomba, for children/youth was produced in 90.000).

12. Letter Analysis • Of 3000+ received, sample of 680 letters (1999-2007) • All received by either Fema or SiMchezo • 80% written in Swahili, 20% in English • Between a few lines and 10 pages in length, most below 1 page

13. Methodology • Conceptual development for letter analysis • Connecting Suruchi Sood (BCC oriented indicators) with CFSC indicators: 11 indicators for audience involvement • Sampling of 680 letters • Developing code sheet • 3 day coding seminar • Quantitative processesing and reporting • Sampling of 70 letters for qualitative analysis (11 indicators organised in 3 categories) • Qualitative thematic analysis underway

14. Who are the letter writers? • More men than women (some group letters) • 81.5 % written by youth (15-24) • Fema writers have secondary education • SiMchezo writers max primary • National coverage • Most writers from areas with Femina community work • All English letters sent to Fema • Many send their foto! • Steady growing amount of letters

15. Character of letters • Descriptive (telling a story) • Advisory (giving advice, making recommendations) • Questions (asking questions) • Opinions (expressing opinions) Expressing opinions and advisory were slightly bigger than the other categories.

16. Content • Breadth in topics • HIV/AIDS most central • Career/eduction, sex and sexuality, healthy lifestyles, violence, youth involvement in society are amongst other significant topics

17. Forms and Degrees of Audience Involvement Orientations: • Individual behaviour change (mostly articulated) • Interpersonal communication and collective efficacy • Collective action and participation in the public sphere

18. Challenges • Deepen the understanding or Femina HIP intentions vis-a-vis actual audience discourse and practice • A gradual move towards increased audience participation • Methodological constraints and limitations in letter analysis alone