The OneLove regional campaign is unique because it combines both in-country campaigns with a regional component as well. A number of innovative and exciting regional products are soon to be launched.
The uniqueness of the campaign is also its scale. This is the first time a prevention campaign in southern Africa that addresses MCP, has been developed at this scale. In all countries OneLove has buy-in and support from the National AIDS Councils.
Here is a round-up of in-country campaign activities:
Tanzania
The first regional roll-out in October 2008 took place in Tanzania where it was launched with huge fanfare in Dar es Salaam by partner, Femina HIP and their partners.
OneLove’s primary aim in Tanzania was to educate the regions on the risks associated with MCPs in particular culture and it’s relation to the practice - and sometimes acceptance - of MCPs.
Learn more about OneLove in Tanzania
Watch an episode of the Fema TV Talk Show
South Africa
The OneLove in South Africa was launched in January 2009. Sue Goldstein, Senior Executive at Soul City, the organisation spearheading the campaign in South Africa says: “We need to challenge gender stereotypes and cultural norms that perpetuate this unsafe behaviour and create debates around what needs to be done. It is really important to have many sexual partners or - in this time of HIV - is it just an unnecessary risk?”
The mass media campaign was spearheaded by a 13-part popular primetime TV drama series, a radio drama series as well as the distribution of over a million information booklets about MPC and is supported by dialogue and discussion happening at community level.
Learn more about the OneLove campaign in South Africa
Lesotho
The OneLove campaign in Lesotho was also launched in January 2009. Hope Dolo, director of Phela Health and Development communications, a key driver of the campaign in Lesotho says the campaign in Lesotho aims to shatter cultural myths and promote sexual partnerships and relationships that are healthy and safe.
Lesotho’s multimedia rollout comprised a booklet highlighting issues around Gender, Women and HIV and AIDS. In addition to this, they worked on a pamphlet detailing the risks associated with MCPs and billboards using local idioms, dotted the Lesotho landscape to get people talking about how their own sexual networks could put them at risk.
Learn more about the OneLove campaign in Lesotho (post includes photos of campaign banners)
Swaziland
Swaziland launched their OneLove campaign in February 2009 with a mass media component.
Principal Secretary in the Prime Ministers office Nomathemba Hlophe, who attended the launch, noted: “A nation uses different strategies in its fight against its enemy. We need to recognise that the launch of the OneLove campaign does not mean that we have to abandon other ongoing initiatives in prevention. In fact, the campaign should be used to strengthen our existing interventions.”
Zambia
OneLove Kwasila in Zambia aims to provide information about the risks posed by MCPs as well as generating dialogue about social issues that make people decide to have more than one sexual partner at one time.
Leading the media intervention is a locally produced, innovative 10 part TV miniseries named ‘Club Risky Business’ which highlights the risks of MCP. OneLove Kwasila has also developed an animated advert, which urges men and women to cut their sexual networks.
Learn more about the OneLove campaign in Zambia
Watch Club Risky Business online (all 10 episodes)
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe launched their local component of the regional campaign in June 2009.
Spearheaded by Action, the five-year campaign uses mass media in the form of print, radio, television and Internet to raise awareness on the risks that we face when we have multiple concurrent partnerships.
Learn more about the campaign in Zimbabwe
Download “A Loving Relationship - Finding It and Keeping It.”
Malawi
Malawi became the eighth country to launch OneLove when they joined the rollout in October 2009.
Simon Sikwese, director of Pakachere, notes that the Malawi campaign also needs to impact on powerful cultural beliefs that encourage men and women to have multiple concurrent partners.
Campaign activities are being implemented by a cross section of partners who will use social mobilisation and mass media. The media component is made up of TV talk shows, a radio drama series, public service announcements, music, newspaper articles and adverts as well as relationship booklets.
Download “Sexual Partners and Our Lives.”
Namibia
Namibia will launch the in-country OneLove campaign later this year. The campaign will roll out with a booklet and a radio drama.
The OneLove partners in Namibia already have a radio drama on air but will broadcast this in Lozi towards the beginning of 2010.
Mozambique
Mozambique launched its campaign against multiple concurrent partnerships in November, with the Portuguese version of the Meet Joe public service announcement. The campaign is being launched under the name Amores a Mais é Demais (in association with OneLove).
