Health
Health action with informed and engaged societies
Health
After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future.
 
Co-founder Victoria Martin is pleased to see this work continue under Wits' leadership. Victoria knows that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction.
 
We honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades. Meanwhile, La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA) continues independently at cila.comminitcila.com and is linked with The CI Global site.
Time to read
1 minute
Print
a- a+
Published 14 years ago
Last updated 1 year ago
Read so far

Kyrgyzstan WASH Radio Campaign

0 comments

The Kyrgyz WASH Coalition and the Central Asian Alliance for Water (CAAW) launched a radio campaign to raise awareness of WASH issues in September 2009, to coincide with Global Handwashing Day on October 15 and World Toilet Day on November 19. The campaign aimed to:

  • provide a countrywide platform to reinforce and accelerate advocacy of WASH;
  • inform the public about the diseases resulting from poor sanitation and hygiene practices;
  • hold debates on WASH issues among stakeholders; and
  • involve journalists, popular singers, high officials, and governors in advocating on the sector's behalf.
Communication Strategies

The centrepiece of Kyrgyzstan's WASH Radio Campaign was the involvement of journalists, particularly young journalists, who advocated for WASH in the country. The campaign enrolled youth and students, such as those attending Osh State University's Faculty of Journalism, who worked as agents of change by preparing reports and a "WASH info box" for the dissemination of succinct information on WASH issues via broadcasts. Other formats included discussion panels, jingles, and public service announcements (PSAs).

 

While the panels united different sector stakeholders to discuss various WASH topics, public and popular figures shared what were intended to be inspirational and informative slogans to advocate for changes in behaviour. Popular radio stations from the north and the south of Kyrgyzstan aired the programmes (Almaz, Salam, Europe Plus, Kyrgyzstan Obondoru, Hit FM, and Dartz) in either the Kyrgyz or Russian language.

 

Having run through November 2010, the subsequent campaign expanded to include quizzes about water, sanitation and hygiene. In order to reach more people, broadcasts were in all three main languages (Kyrgyz, Russian, and Uzbek).

Development Issues

Water, sanitation, and hygiene.

Sources

Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) website, February 24 2012; and email from Saskia Castelein to The Communication Initiative on March 2 2012.