Malawi (2012): PRETESTING OF EBT PREV'S RADIO SPOTS AND WALL SIGNS

With funding from USAID, in March 2009, PSI/Malawi initiated a five-year Evidence Based Targeted HIV Prevention (EBT Prev) project designed to reduce the incidence of HIV in Malawi. The EBT Prev project aims to achieve this objective through a comprehensive prevention intervention strategy designed to increase the adoption of safer sexual behaviours among high risk populations (vendors, plantation workers and the fishing community). Considering the complexity of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, EBT Prev is also implementing a combination of HIV prevention activities that tackle issues that speed up the spread of HIV like Gender Based Violence and other HIV prevention related issues like HIV Testing and Counseling and Family Planning etc. The EBT Prev project integrated Behaviour Change Communication (iBCC) messages are disseminated under a branded campaign Lingalira Sankha wekha. The campaign present the concept of choice to the target groups and it also aims at equipping the target groups with decision making skills so that they are able to make the best choices that are suitable to them with respect to HIV prevention in general and other health related issues i.e. Gender Based Violence, Family Planning, PMTCT and HTC. EBT Prev project would like the Research Department to pre test its radio spot and wall sign on Gender Based Violence to see if they are communicating the right messages. This pre test is expected to be carried out in EBT Prev's Priority Prevention Areas and they should be pre tested among the EBT Prev's targeted groups be it plantation workers, vendors and fishermen. The purpose of this pre testing is to find out whether the radio spot and the wall sign on Gender Based Violence (GBV) give out the intended messages to the target audience so that they reduce GBV to women by accessing the necessary services that are available in their communities. The study will employ a qualitative research approach with Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) used to collect data from the target group. FGD will be conducted because of the richness of the data that emerge from this method.