Development Communication Sourcebook
BOX 3.3
3
100
Addressing the Correct Communication Entry Point or Level
A team of health experts conducted an investigation of the high rate of waterborne diseases in a region of Africa, some resulting in fatal illnesses, especially for children under five years of age. The specialists’ research indicated that the situation was caused mostly by human waste contaminating the scarce water sources. The solution seemed obvious: build latrines—almost nonexistent in that region—to eliminate or greatly reduce the fecal problem. A major international organization was involved to fund and implement a project. The multimillion-dollar initiative had a simple and direct approach. The project would provide training and supply all materials needed to build the latrines. At the same time, the plan intended to involve local people: the communities, on their side, would provide their time and labor to achieve the intended results. It would be a small price to pay for getting rid of a major health hazard, or so the experts thought! A communication intervention aimed to inform people about the opportunity for training and materials to build latrines for free, in what was perceived by experts and project staff to be a major improvement in their lives. The communication campaign intended to persuade local villagers to build and use the latrines. The increased use of these latrines would greatly decrease the contamination of local water and subsequently reduce the rate of waterborne diseases as well. Almost two years after the multimedia campaign began, a survey reported that only a tiny percentage of the concerned population joined the program and built a latrine. A communication assessment revealed the main reason: most local people did not associate the latrines with solving the waterborne disease problem. First, given the scarcely populated region, many locals were quite comfortable with not having a latrine and using “the bush.” Secondly, most people were not aware of the causes of the illnesses, and therefore, they did not see any reason to undertake extra work and to change long-established behaviors. The project strategy, well-intentioned and apparently correct in the application of the behavior change model, was a failure as far as the project and communication objectives were concerned. It assumed that people would adopt latrines regardless of other considerations. If a communication assessment had been carried out initially, it would have shown that audiences need to be aware of and knowledgeable about the issue, and their attitude should indicate a willingness to change, before a campaign is launched to change practices or behaviors. If awareness and willingness are not evident, the campaign needs to focus at those levels— raising awareness, providing knowledge, or changing attitudes—in a sequential order before addressing behavior change issues.