Honduras - Ke Ondas Con tu Vida?

The radio drama “¿Ke Ondas Con tu Vida?” is at the core discussion of the live magazine show: “Doble Sentido un Programa de Sexo” (Sex Program with Double-Meaning), an hour show run by a group of energetic adolescents in Tegucigalpa. In 2007 the radio drama was rebroadcast in two new regions reaching over 2 million inhabitants.

This program was developed by PCI-Media Impact in partnership with ASHONPLAFA, the largest provider of sexual and reproductive health services in Honduras. PCI-Media Impact provides training, funding and technical assistance in order to tell stories and save lives. In 2007 the radio drama was expanded to the center, south and west of Honduras.

The goal of the program was to promote adolescent and youth sexual health, family planning, and STD/HIV/AIDS prevention, encouraging adolescents to make positive behavior changes. The program discussed the following topics in both a magazine discussion format between radio call-in participants and health experts and within the plot of the serial drama:

• Contraceptive methods
• STD and HIV/AIDS prevention
• Gender Violence
• Reproductive and Sexual Rights
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) youth

Social and Economic Facts: Honduras

• UNAIDS recorded an increased number of HIV and AIDS cases among women. Some factors: Early initiation of sex, taboos related to sexuality, high rates of sexually transmitted infections, gender inequalities and sexual violence.
• Honduras has the highest rate of teen pregnancy in Central America.
• 48% of women between 15 and 24 years old have been pregnant at least once. 59% occurred before the age of 17.
• HIV/AIDS is the second leading cause of death, after injuries due to violence.
• AIDS is the leading cause of death in women of childbearing age.
• HIV/AIDS is the second leading cause of death, after injuries due to violence. AIDS is the leading cause of death in women of childbearing age since 1997.
• 21% of sex workers have been found positive for HIV.

Broadcast Details:

Broadcast Period: June 2006 – Current
Target Audience: Youth ages 12 -18.
Broadcast Reach: Radio VOX FM 101.9 from April 07– October 07 in Francisco Morazán. Radio EL SOL 107.1 from July 07 – September 07 in Choluteca, Valle, Francisco Morazán and Nicaragua’s border. Radio Stereo Yuscaran 15.90 from October 07 – December 07 in El Paraiso. Vox 101.9 FM. Central, southern, and northern Honduras and northern areas of San Salvador and Nicaragua.

The Magazine Show:

The magazine show broadcasts on a weekly basis, includes different elements such as: the radio drama, health news, interviews with health experts, contests, debates and testimonies.

The Serial Drama:

Plot: High school students form both healthy and negative relationships with friends, partners, and parents. Using humor and drama, characters learn to make educated and responsible decisions sexual and reproductive health issues.

Main Characters Profile:
Blanca: Helps her mother in the school cafeteria, where she meets with friends. Sexuality is taboo.
Brean: He does not like to study. He is gay, and his father is a famous politician.
Turbo: Everybody’s friend, bohemian and knowledgeable about sexual health.
Sabrina: Attractive, sexually active, drinks, smokes and comes from a low income family.
Luigue: Funny, low academic rate, behavior problems, has the lowest income in the group.
Lucia: The best student, withdrawn, has general knowledge of everything including sexual health.

Number of Episodes: 42 radio dramas – 5 minutes within the magazine format show.

“My professor is sexually harassing me. What can I do?”

This question was raised by a teenage girl who called to the talk show after broadcasting an episode of “Ke Ondas con tu Vida?” about violence based on gender.

Program Impact:

PCI-Media Impact and ASHONPLAFA developed a robust methodology to monitor the impact of this program. For example, one of the main impacts reported was an 18% increase in demand for services from pharmacies, clinics and youth attention centers.

Pre-Broadcast Research
The formative research allowed us to explore the reality of the community. For example lack of information was identified as one of the main issues: 28.2% of the young who had once been pregnant believed that they could not become pregnant for the following reasons:

Causes Cited Pre-Broadcast for becoming pregnant

Post-Broadcast Research
Increase in information awareness is one of our main achievements. Focus Group and survey with the participation of 511 students from 6 local schools were some of the methodology used to evaluate the impact of the program:

Increase Knowledge about Sexual Transmitted Diseases

Awareness Raising about Sexual Health Information

Support and Understanding of Rights Through the National HIV/AIDS Law

Knowledge concerning Uses and Implications of the Emergency Contraception Pill

Local Partnerships

We work with public and private partners to promote social development. In developing this programm, PCI-Media Impact worked with the following groups, including: Honduras’s First Lady, who has supported the national broadcast, Radio Vox, Radio Xoluteca, Honduras National Radio, ASHONPLAFA ( Member affiliate of the International Planned Parenthood Federation), Fundación Amor (Free HIV testing), Organización Kukulcán (LGBT rights).

Promotion and Participation
Some of the activities implemented to promote the radio talk show were:

• ASHONPLAFA and Health Ministry sponsored air spots promoting the health services.
• Training of 10 school leaders to promote the radio program at their schools using flyers and banners.
• Distribution of 200 caps and 700 t-shirts donated by the Nation’s First Lady.
• Radio drama actors participated in media interviews. Open telephone lines during the radio talk show, text messages from cell phones and e-mails.
• On-line transmission: www.planetavox.hn

Capacity Building and Community Participation
We ensure the program sustainability by increasing broadcasting skills sets within the community.

• 18 youth trained in Entertainment Education methodology and sexual/ reproductive health and rights.
• Six training workshops about script production, acting, program hosting with 8 participants each.
• Two exchange programs in Nicaragua, where the production group shared their experiences.
• In addition, participants identify and communicate their own needs, which create credibility among listeners.
• Email, mail address and phone line are provided for listeners to request and suggest new content, ask questions and make comments.
• Interviews at TV and radio stations with the radio drama participants.
• School visits by the actors of the radio drama.

Cost – Effectiveness
To ensure program sustainability the project requires cost-sharing. PCI - Media Impact provides 21% of the project cost and our partners provide the remaining 79%, often through in-kind contributions, volunteers, and sponsorship. Some of the local inputs are:

• Transportation
• Refreshments
• Production Equipment
• Infrastructure (offices rent, radio studio)

Related Links:
Program Impact: Youth Radio Changes Lives in Central America
Case Study: 2006 Program Impact Report - Honduras

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