9th International AIDS Conference Berlin, Germany — June 6-11, 1993

Int Conf AIDS 1993 Jun 6-11; 9:116 (abstract no. WS-D13-5)
Pinzon A, Velandia M; PATH seconded to AIDSCAP/Family Health International, Arlington, VA.

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate that alternative, interpersonal and participatory communication among peers can initiate an educational process that fosters behavioral change in target populations. Target populations are not used simply to validate materials but to establish messages and informational contents generated from their own needs and propositions. The example of a poster campaign in Colombia will be presented.

METHOD: Alternative communication techniques are utilized to foster a participatory process in the community by supporting an educational process that takes participants from sensibilization to conscientious behavioral change.

RESULTS: The process that leads to the creation of 7 posters aimed at different target groups empowers the participants to become activists in their communities and peer educators transcending their own environment with their messages. These activists took the process in their own hands, increasing and expanding the campaign that was originally planned by the implementing NGO. Posters were used to create events covered as news by local mass media outlets.

CONCLUSION: In this process of creation, development and production of IEC materials, each member of the group became a peer educator as they shared information and interacted with each other to produce educational materials in a collaborative effort. As a result of this process, more effective materials were produced. The group also determined collective problems and concerns, designed actions in a collective way and later made conscious decisions on their own change of behavior.

Copyright © 1993 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.