Uganda Health Marketing Group (UHMG) implemented a 4-year project known as Voices for Health (VfH) to advance Reproductive Health in Uganda. The project was implemented by a consortium of 4 organizations including Reach a Hand Uganda (RAHU), Centre for Health Human Rights and Development (CEHURD) and Partners in Community Transformation (PICOT); in partnership with the Ministry of Health.
The project goal was to support local partners to advocate for a progressive school health policy inclusive of SRH in Uganda by 2020. UHMG’s mandate within the consortium was to support ongoing advocacy efforts towards achieving the project goal through a hard-hitting mass media campaign to create positive public opinion on and reduce stigma around youth access to SRHR and in so doing influence the commitment of policymakers and leaders to adopt a progressive school health policy (SHP) inclusive of SRHR. In March 2018, UHMG in partnership with Reach A Hand Uganda (RAHU) and the Ministry of Health launched and ran the multi-media communication campaign dubbed “Silence is Deadly”.
UHMG concluded the first phase of the Silence is Deadly communication campaign and sought research services from WEKOnnect Group in partnership with Nomad to evaluate the reach, impact, and effectiveness of the campaign among the target audience in 11 districts: Kampala, Mityana, Busia, Lamwo, Kitgum, Gulu, Pader, Isingiro, Kiboga, Koboko, and Maracha. Specifically, the evaluation was guided by the following objectives:
- Assess the impact (Knowledge, Attitudes, change in opinion/perception and Practices) of the campaign among the target audiences in the 11 VfH districts.
- Assess the effectiveness of the different campaign methodologies (multimedia, digital, interpersonal activities.
- Assess the reach of the campaign in the 11 VfH districts.
- Develop recommendations and identify lessons learnt / best practices that can be used to improve the design of Phase 2 of the campaign.
Specifically, from this task where we were fundamental in concept test, material pretest phase one evaluation to inform interventions and development of subsequent intervention materials for phase two. The experience gained through the execution of this task will help inform the development and execution of the baseline evaluation. Also, the scope of coverage was of national reach and we are conversant with the logistical, and administrative dynamics entailed. Qualitative and quantitative research approaches were employed to evaluate the campaign, if considered for this project we intend to benchmark from our experience evaluating the SID campaign.