By Mary Phiri
In Zambia approximately two-thirds of all 15- to 25-year-olds are sexually active. Teen pregnancy rates, rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and HIV prevalence are all high. The Ministry of Health reports that about 40 percent of Zambian primary and secondary school students have been infected with an STI, often a precursor to HIV. In fact, an estimated one in five youth in Zambia is already HIV positive.
Against this backdrop, the youth-run newspaper Trendsetters was established in 1997. Recognizing the strong influence of mass media on youth behavior, the twin goals of Trendsetters are to provide sexual and reproductive health information to youth and, at the same time, to help them adopt safer sexual practices that decrease the incidence of unwanted pregnancies, STIs, and HIV/AIDS. Trendsetters fosters an atmosphere in which young people can discuss sex-related issues with parents, guardians, and other family members.
Trendsetters has the following objectives:
- encourage youth who are not sexually active to delay sexual initiation;
- promote abstinence;
- encourage youth who are sexually active to use condoms and practice periodic abstinence;
- increase knowledge of family planning methods among the 15-25 age group;
- equip young people with skills to negotiate for safer sex;
- equip young people with skills to identify healthy and abusive relationships; and
- encourage youth to be goal oriented.
The paper is operated by seven youth, working in full-time paid positions. They research and write stories, sell advertising, market and distribute the paper, and manage administrative tasks. The editorial board, also composed of youth, selects the stories for each issue. Topics include HIV/AIDS, relationships, violence (particularly violence against women), self-esteem, and options for accessing contraception and youth-friendly health services. The paper has a standard column about STIs, along with features on healthy and unhealthy relationships and improving relationships among young couples. Interviews with local celebrities, celebrity gossip, and quizzes help promote sexual responsibility and reinforce the message that safer sex and abstinence are smart and "cool."
Trendsetters is free and is distributed monthly to more than 10 major secondary schools and 20 retail outlets within the capital city of Lusaka. It reaches youth nationwide through Shoprite, a supermarket chain with stores in all major Zambian provinces, and through other retail outlets. Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) distribute Trendsetters to more vulnerable groups in community schools and prisons. The Lusaka District Health Management Team distributes Trendsetters in health clinics around Lusaka.
Challenges
Parents and religious groups raised objections to the papers content and messages in its early days. In traditional Zambian culture, the open discussion of sex is taboo and done only within initiation ceremonies that involve grandparents, aunts and uncles, and extended family. Parents initially felt that the paper encouraged premarital sex, and religious groups condemned the paper for promoting condoms and family planning. In response, the paper incorporated articles on parent-child communication and on the importance of sex education, and it features at least one article a month on abstinence. Through television and other news media, Trendsetters clarified its goals and objectives, correcting the misconception that it promotes premarital sex.
During its first year, Trendsetters faced the added challenge of actually reaching its target audience. With limited transportation resources, Trendsetters was distributed in only a few schools, clinics, and retail outlets. To increase distribution, in 1998, the young staff persuaded Shoprite, the largest supermarket chain in Zambia, to distribute the paper in all its outlets. NGOs and donor agencies distribute papers to hard-to-reach areas, and a subscription form is included in the paper for people who want to receive it by mail.
Advertising sales are important to ensure the newspapers sustainability. Many businesses, however, are reluctant to advertise in a publication that discusses sexual issues. Further, youth are not always recognized as having the purchasing power to justify the cost of advertising. Although advertising continues to be an obstacle, revenue in recent months has increased as businesses begin to realize the potential of the youth market.
Program Success
Trendsetters greatest success is youth involvement, from start to finish. The entire paper articles, pictures, and layout is produced by the staff of seven young adults.
Although there are no formal program evaluation data, mail and telephone feedback from readers suggests that the paper is persuasive, informative, and popular. The issues covered are relevant to Zambian youth and written in language to which they relate.
Since its inception, Trendsetters has been backed by the government through the Ministry of Health and has received major technical and financial support from USAID (United States Agency for International Development) through the Johns Hopkins University/Center for Communication Programs. Government endorsement is vital to the papers success and ensures that, by remaining in compliance with the government, the paper remains accessible.
The fifth issue of Trendsetters won the 1997 Global Media Award given by the Washington, D.C.-based Population Institute. The award, for best team reporting, honors journalists who enhance public awareness of population issues.
Lessons Learned
Youth involvement is essential to developing a media-based project for adolescents. This involvement ensures that the information is relevant, the language and style are appropriate, and the audience will relate to the issues discussed. Youth involvement in layout and design ensures that the paper captures and holds the attention of a young readership. Equally important, staff members themselves learn valuable journalism skills, gain stronger, more positive self-images, and develop greater appreciation for the importance of good reproductive health.
This project considers the full social context in which young people in Zambia live. Simply writing about HIV/AIDS is not enough. Other underlying social issues related to this problem must also be discussed, including the poor economic status of young people, sex in exchange for money or gifts, and communication between parents and children and between partners.
Contact Information:
Mary Phiri
Youth Media - Trendsetters
Tel: (260-1) 764-803
Fax: (260-1) 253-839
Email: trends@zamnet.zm
Web site: www.trendsetters.org.zm
