Promoting HIV and AIDS awareness in Angola

We are particularly focusing on young people, aged 12-24 years, as they are at the most risk.

The initiative is funded by the United Nations Development Programme and the Global Fund.

The campaign’s slogan is Contra o VHI e SIDA, Estamos Juntos, ('Against HIV and AIDS, we’re together') capturing the need for all Angolans to be aware of how to prevent HIV transmission, if the disease is to be stopped.

The campaign was designed to reflect the reality of Angolan life and its people, and features easily identifiable characters from all over the country.

They act as the voice of the campaign, articulating HIV prevention and awareness messages.

Campaign characters include a taxi driver, street traders, pregnant women, a village Soba (wise man/elder) and young people.

From the beginning of 2008, their faces and stories will be broadcast and displayed through a wide range of media outputs around the country.

Windscreens

The campaign not only uses traditional mass media vehicles such as TV, radio, outdoor display and press for its messages, but is experimenting with using the back windscreens of public minibuses known as 'Candongueiros', as well as text messages to mobile phones.

Candongueiros are a prominent feature in the Angolan landscape, and an innovative way to give campaigning messages maximum exposure.

Mo Kamba

As well as co-ordinating the campaign, the BBC World Service Trust continues to produce Mo Kamba, its youth radio call-in and discussion programme (broadcast twice weekly). The programmes are broadcast by Radio Nacional Angola (RNA) on its national station, Channel A and by RNA's network of affiliated provincial FM stations. It is also broadcast by Radio Luanda.