In our community, when we get pregnant we say that we are going to die and that we are not going to make it.
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Authors: Lois Aspinall, Halina Assefa, Caroline Carney
Publication date: November 2017
In 2012 Ethiopia remained one of the most dangerous places in the world to deliver a child. Funded by DFID, ±«Óãtv Media Action established the Global Grant health project in Ethiopia to support the continuing efforts by the government and other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to make improvements in care for mothers and their babies.
±«Óãtv Media Action produced two weekly maternal and newborn health radio programmes – Biiftuu Jireenyaa (Dawn of Light) and Jember (Maternal Light). In addition, we produced public service announcements (PSAs) and delivered capacity-strengthening activities with regional broadcasters, as well as community outreach in the form of listening groups.
The project operated at scale: reaching an estimated 23.3 million people over five years, with a peak audience of 21 million people in the final year – almost half the adults with radio access in Oromia, Amhara and Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region (SNNPR). Biiftuu Jireenyaa and Jember also had loyal audiences, with four out of five listeners (79%) tuning in to at least every other episode.
Research has been used throughout the project to inform programme development, to guide implementation and to evaluate its impact. This report summarises findings from the portfolio of research to assess and understand the impact of the project.