Community Radio Listening Groups: Expanding the reach of MAHEFA’s behavior change empowerment strategy

In Madagascar, radio programs play an important role in promoting development themes thanks to robust radio coverage and high listening rates

Behavior change was an integral part of the MAHEFA program’s strategy to improve health in the most under-served communities of Madagascar’s north and northwest regions. MAHEFA developed radio programs promoting good health practices that were broadcast across all program regions. Community members attended RLGs to listen to the broadcasts, discuss the health messages, and share their knowledge and experience using local solutions to address targeted health issues and change community norms.

This technical brief highlights the MAHEFA process and results, including that the radio listening groups created environments where health and social norm shifts had ripple effects and were able to generate wider social change. JSI / USAID | CBIHP, 2016.