FAMILY PLANNING UNMET NEED
COMMUNICATION CAMPAIGN.
RADIO DRAMA PRE-TEST REPORT
AT KASANA HEALTH CENTRE IV, LUWERO DISTRICT
28th JUNE 2011
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Table of Contents
Background: .................................................................................................................................... 3
Objectives of the pre-test exercise:.................................................................................................. 3
Pre-test Methodology: ..................................................................................................................... 3
Pre-test Findings: ............................................................................................................................. 4
Episode Two:................................................................................................................................... 4
Description of the Drama: ............................................................................................................... 4
Main Messages in the Episode: ....................................................................................................... 4
Target Audience: ............................................................................................................................. 5
Anything Unclear or Offensive in the Episode: .............................................................................. 5
Suggestions on How to Improve Episode Two: .............................................................................. 5
Call for Action: ................................................................................................................................ 6
Feelings of the Respondents during and after the Dramatic Readings: ........................................... 6
Episode Three: ................................................................................................................................. 7
Description of the Drama: ............................................................................................................... 7
Key Messages in the Episode: ......................................................................................................... 7
Target Audience: ............................................................................................................................. 7
Anything Unclear or Unclear in the Episode: ................................................................................. 7
Anything Offensive in the Episode: ................................................................................................ 7
Call to Action: ................................................................................................................................. 7
Feelings of the Respondents During and After the Dramatic Readings: ......................................... 8
Improvements Suggested for Episode Three:.................................................................................. 8
Conclusion:...................................................................................................................................... 9
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Background:
Health Communication Partnership (HCP) is developing a 13-episode family planning
radio drama series aimed at persuading men to discuss modern family planning with their
partners as a means of having smaller, manageable families and to convince women who
do not want to produce now to adopt modern family planning methods. The drama will
be the centerpiece of a multi-channel national communication campaign and will be
produced initially in English and 3 local languages for broadcast on a number of radio
stations throughout Uganda.
Materials Pre-tested:
Of the 13 episodes that are being developed, episode 2 and 3 were pretested with
respondents at Kasana Health Centre IV in Luwero District.
Objectives of the pre-test exercise:
The objectives of the pre-test were to;
 Find out if the respondents easily understood the radio drama series.
 Establish whether the respondents easily related with the drama.
 Establish whether there was anything unclear or offensive in the drama.
 Collect feedback about how convincing the drama was and suggestions on how
best to improve it in regard to voicing, choice of words and tone.
Pre-test Methodology:
Two focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted in Luwero. The FGDs were made
up of twelve respondents each with one having adult male respondents aged 30 – 40
years and adult female respondents aged 20 – 35 years in the other. The FGD respondents
were identified by local mobilisers with the help of HCP partner staff working in the
District. The FGDs were conducted by male and female graduate research assistants who
were recruited from a pool normally used by HCP. They under went a half day training
workshop where they were oriented to the Nurse Mildred campaign, the radio drama,
tools to be used in the pre-test exercise as well as writing the pre-test report. Screening of
potential respondents was done in order to select FGD respondents with the following
characteristics:
 Living in rural areas or peri-urban areas.
 Themselves or their partners not using modern family planning methods.
 Fluent in English.
 Married women aged between 20 – 35 years.
 Married men aged between 30 – 40 years.
 Not peer-educators, health educators or local council officials.
Before commencing with the group discussions, the research assistants also screened the
mobilized FGD respondents for the above characteristics and those who did not qualify
were not allowed to participate in the exercise.
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Pre-test Findings:
This section highlights in detail the responses from 2 FGDs carried out in Luwero district
following the order of questions on the FGD guide.
Episode Two:
Description of the Drama:
All respondents observed that the drama was talking about the effects of a large
population in Bukulu village. The effects mentioned include fighting, arguments, land
scarcity, environmental degradation among other problems.
“Natural resources are scarce thereby forcing people to cut down trees and pollute the
water sources” (Female Respondent).
Male respondents added that the drama was demonstrating how non use of family
planning methods was leading to competition for resources hence worsening the poverty
and unemployment situation.
“People were ignorant about the benefits of family planning which led to increased
pressure on land’’ (Female respondent)
One male respondent also observed that land inheritance was becoming a problem since
brothers almost fought each other coupled with quarrels with squatters.
Main Messages in the Episode:
Male respondents stressed the main message in the drama as the need for people to use
family planning methods in order to reduce high population growth rates.
“If we do not plan now, we are likely to face a problem in the future of competing for
scarce resources because population while grow rapidly whereas resources are fixed’’
(Male Respondent)
Female respondents said that the main message was about the effects of overpopulation
including land conflicts. Matia was worried about the many squatters on his father’s
family land especially Blazio who had many children.
“Matia was worried about the many squatters because they were going to take over his
father‘s land.” (Female Respondent)
The likelihood of communicable diseases due to high population and taking unclean
water was highlighted as the main message in the episode. Respondents also noted that
the episode emphasizes the fact that people still have a negative attitude towards family
planning thus the need to design programs aimed at them.
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Target Audience:
The drama is meant for rural people since most of the effects of overpopulation including
environmental degradation and land conflicts are more prevalent in rural areas.
“Matia and his people live in Bukulu village which comes across as a rural setting with
majority of the residents living as squatters” (Female Respondent)
The low levels of information about family planning also indicate that the drama is meant
for rural audiences. Nurse Mildred tries to explain to residents of Bukuli village the need
to adapt modern family planning methods.
“One of the characters in the drama asks Nurse Mildred about the meaning of family
planning clearly showing that he is ignorant about it” (Male Respondent)
The drama is also meant for men in rural areas because they are mostly the decision
makers in families. It helps them realize the dangers of producing many children and the
need to work hard in order to sustain such big families.
“Denis had to listen to Nurse Mildred since he was not employed and struggling with a
large family” (Female respondent)
However male respondents noted that the radio drama targets everyone regardless of
where they stay or live, those in reproductive age or have large families.
“It targets both women and men since some women believe that the only way to show
how much you love their husbands is to produce as many children as they (husbands)
want” (Male Respondent)
Anything Unclear or Offensive in the Episode:
All male and female respondents said that the radio drama was clear and not offensive.
However, two male respondents were uncomfortable with the use of “We go ...we go”
slogan saying that they may be used by rioters thereby inciting violence.
Suggestions on How to Improve Episode Two:
Male respondents observed that the drama should not only have scenes in the rural areas
because urban areas are affected as well.
“Effects of overpopulation do not only affect rural areas but currently in urban centres
residents are encroaching on swamps. There`s need to also focus on them (Male
respondent)
Male respondents also suggested that before the policeman comes in to separate Matia
and Blazio who are fighting, Local Council officials should intervene first because their
role is to mediate conflicts before they end up at the police. Other suggestions were to
produce the drama in different languages and to shoot videos since they tend to be
appreciated more than audio messages.
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Call for Action:
All male respondents agreed that the drama calls upon them to use modern family
planning methods. Female respondents said that the drama calls upon listeners to plan for
their families in order to avoid some of the consequences of overpopulation that are
highlighted e.g. land conflicts and environmental degradation. The need for non violent
conflict resolution is highlighted.
“It is better to report grievances to authorities like Local Council officials and the Police
instead of fighting” (Male Respondent)
The respondents further said that the drama calls upon them to accept that life is not only
in towns but also in villages just like Nurse Mildred and Dennis shifted to Bukulu village
from town. The drama also emphasizes the need for men to respect and listen to women
because the latter can be able to contribute positively to the welfare of the family and
community.
Is the message in the drama convincing enough for you to act upon it?
All respondents mentioned that the message in the drama was convincing enough to take
action because the scenes in the episode depict challenges that families and communities
experience on a regular basis partly because of not using modern methods of family
planning. Female respondents however observed that the types of modern family
planning were not mentioned whereas their male counterparts said that nurse Mildred
does not refer her village mates to where they can seek family planning services.
Feelings of the Respondents during and after the Dramatic Readings:
The dramatic readings generated different emotions ranging from worry, happiness and
sadness. Female respondents mentioned that they enjoyed the drama though it was sad
that Blazio had many children and was unable to cater for all of them. Male respondents
were happy that Nurse Mildred came at the time when she was needed most to sensitize
the local community in Bukulu village about the importance of family planning. Other
respondents felt sad that without using family planning methods, land wrangles
environmental degradation and disharmony in society will not end.
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Episode Three:
Description of the Drama:
All respondents understood the story line. The drama depicted Matia as a man struggling
with meeting the basic needs of his household due to poor family planning. He had many
children that he was unable to provide for thereby asking his young brother Denis to pay
their school fees. The respondents also observed that the episode was about a poor father
who did not plan well for his family thereby producing many children. As a result one of
his sons turned into a thief because he could not afford his school fees. The episode also
highlights the benefits of family planning.
“It is an episode showing the effects of poor family planning. Matia did not plan for
emergencies and the education of his children’ (Male respondent).
Key Messages in the Episode:
The main messages were that there is need for married or cohabiting couple to use
modern family planning methods so as to avoid the challenges that Matia was
experiencing. Couples should not produce many children in anticipation of seeking
support from close relatives and friends.
“Matia was enjoying producing many children yet he could not look after them but only
looking up to Denis to cater for them” (Male Respondent)
Target Audience:
Most respondents identified the target audience as everyone regardless of where they
stay or live, those in reproductive age (15-49 years) or have large families whereas a few
females mentioned men as the target audience since they influence decisions in a family.
Anything Unclear or Confusing in the Episode:
Female respondents wondered whether family planning was meant for people who have
given birth such as Jovia. They also questioned how Matia’s wife arrived at the Health
Center. It was also unclear to male respondents how the policeman knew about the theft
of Benson`s goat by Matia`s son. One respondent also said that the episode was unclear
about Jovia’s pregnancy arguing that it was not mentioned anywhere in the drama that
she was pregnant but she ended up giving birth.
Anything Offensive in the Episode:
Respondents said that the Matia`s act of shouting at his son Tony was very offensive
because he was very rude.
Call to Action:
The respondents said that the drama was telling them to work hard, plan for every
pregnancy and listen to the advice of friends just like Jovia listened to Nurse Mildred to
adopt modern family planning methods.
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“The drama calls upon us to plan for the future by using family planning methods”
(Female Respondent)
Another male respondent said that the drama calls upon men to be firm when talking
about family planning unlike what Matia did. The respondents also said that the drama
tells them to save and plan for family uncertainties.
“It calls upon us to be honest and always fulfill our promises not like Matia who failed
to deliver Hajji’s bricks yet he had received advance payment’’ (Male Respondent)
The respondents also said that the drama cautions them not go for loans before they plan
on how to use them in order to avoid the implications.
Is the message in the drama convincing enough for you to act upon it?
All female respondents said that the message in the drama was convincing enough for
them to start using modern family planning methods.
“As a mother it would help me discuss with my husband the consequences of not using
modern family planning methods” (Female Respondent)
Most male respondents said the drama addresses both the advantages of using family
planning methods and the consequences of not planning your family. However two of
them said that the drama seemed to be unfocussed because it covers very many issues at
the same time. One male respondent said that the drama is not convincing to him because
it only concentrates on modern family planning methods without highlighting other
natural methods that can be helpful. Male respondents also noted that the messages about
modern family planning did not come out clearly and would not be easily understood by
people with low levels of education.
Feelings of the Respondents During and After the Dramatic Readings:
Male respondents laughed especially at the point where Hajji came for his money and
where Matia finally accepted his wife to use modern family planning methods. The
respondents also felt sorry for Matia because he was facing a lot of problems as a result
of having many children. Another respondent said the drama made him happy because it
was educative and highlighted real life challenges that families face as a result of not
using modern family planning methods.
“This is what is exactly happening in my village where you find couples struggling with
life because of not using modern family planning methods” (Male Respondent)
Improvements Suggested for Episode Three:
Female respondents suggested that the episode should focus more on dispelling myths
about modern family planning methods and providing accurate information.
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“There are many people in my village who think that contraceptives cause barrenness
and deformed babies so the drama should give us more information on the truth”
(Female Respondent).
Respondents also suggested that a video should be developed out of the drama so that
more people become interested in watching the story as it unfolds.
Conclusion:
The objectives of the pretest exercise were achieved in that the mobilized respondents in
Luwero gave the research team valuable feedback on the Nurse Mildred drama episodes
two and three. Generally, the messages in the two episodes were understood well and
perceived as precise by most respondents. However a number of comments and proposed
changes that were made on the two episodes need to be addressed before final production
and broadcasting of the radio drama. All the proposed changes are highlighted in the
report.
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