"The SRP was piloted in Tanzania following the model of the Sara Communication Initiative (SCI). The main objective of SRP was to improve skills among school children, especially girls, on negotiation, communication skills and positive social behaviour. Activities to foster and support engagement of the key target audiences through Sara Radio Programme (SRP) are being piloted in Iringa DC since 2016, with the aim of identifying elements that can be scaled up nationally. Two radio stations are carrying out the broadcast twice a week during school-term; Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation (TBC), which has national coverage and Ebony FM, with coverage that is limited to Mbeya, Iringa and Njombe regions (MIN). The SRP included developing, pre-recording and broadcasting 100 episodes. The radio drama series featured a young girl, Sara and her friends. The SRP was crafted in a way to be fun as well as engaging pupils - girls and boys, teachers and parents in discussions around key messages. Primary standard four to seven school children (10 - 14-year olds) are the main target audience for the programme. Teachers and parents were key secondary audiences that got information through direct listening and messages from children. The programme addressed social norms to promote school girls’ retention and completion. In addition, the SRP aimed at imparting a change in knowledge and attitudes towards HIV/AIDS, sexual and reproductive health, early marriage, early pregnancy, social inclusion and protection. The long-term objective of the programme is to empower girls to decide and control what happens to them, to be safe, and to pursue what they want in life.
[.] Findings on SRP thematic components
SRP Information: Almost all the children (93.5%, N=339) interviewed in Iringa DC confirmed that they were aware of the SRP implemented in their schools. The high percentage of awareness of the SRP by the children can be attributed to the frequency of attendance for listening to the episodes. The majority of children mentioned that Sara radio episodes were broadcasted twice a week, on Tuesday and Thursday between 1530hrs to 1600hrs.
HIV/AIDS: Children were asked whether they have heard of HIV/AIDS and majority 95.9% had heard of HIV/AIDS while a mere 3.9% had not. Regarding source of information on HIV/AIDS, the majority of children (87.0%) mentioned schools/teachers as their main source, followed by parents/guardians/family (33.0%) while radios contributed 17%. On spreading of HIV virus, the majority of children (87.0%) confirmed that unsafe sex increases chances of acquiring HIV virus, against 10.7% who did not. There was a small percentage difference between boys (88.0%) and girls (85.8%) who confirmed the risks of unsafe sex on acquiring the HIV virus. [.]" (Executive summary, p. viii-ix)