Positive Voices is a
local creative radio project aimed at lowering the stigma, misconceptions and
fear surrounding HIV/AIDS and TB in Iringa region in Southern highlands of
Tanzania.
The project has created a radio soap opera revolving around
the lives of a group of young people living in the fictional village of
Kisonzo. Listeners follow the ups and downs of their lives, in which is
reflected the inevitable impact of HIV/AIDS and TB. The idea is to change the
way people think about HIV and TB through an entertaining drama that addresses
topics that are difficult for people to talk about openly.
The Positive Voices project however, is
not just about
getting the message out over Iringa airwaves. Community outreach and
appropriate technology also play an important part in the project. The project
has set up 14 listener groups in rural areas, through youth groups set up by
SPW youth volunteers living and working in the villages.
With the addition of small, cheaply produced solar panels, the listener groups are able to listen to the show every week without
the prohibitive cost of batteries!
