AFRO-NETS> The Drum Beat - 126 - Impact - Soul City 4 Evaluation

[Warren Feek <wfeek@comminit.com>]

The Drum Beat - 126 - Impact - Soul City 4 Evaluation
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The Impact of Communication Interventions on Development Issues

People and organisations using communication interventions to address 
development issues face questioning and scepticism about the direct 
impact and value of communication. There is reluctance to acknowledge 
communication strategies as essential components of programming ac-
tion. This, despite the fact that an effective communication strategy 
has been central to positive action on major development issues from 
social movements such as anti-apartheid, civil rights, gender equity 
and environmental protection to programme action such as child immu-
nisation strategies in the late 80s and early 90s. 

But, can we 'prove' the value of communication? In support of your 
arguments when facing such questioning we have summarised some of the 
available quantifiable data. See 
http://www.comminit.com/evaluation-results.html 

and search for results relevant to your work. Please send us your 
evaluation results - mailto:wfeek@comminit.com


The most recent Soul City evaluation provides further interesting 
[some would say compelling] data. 

***

The Soul City Evaluation

Excerpts from the most recent Soul City [SC] evaluation [4] organised 
according to the core indicators they investigated, are highlighted 
below. Links are included for extensive results.

Introduction to SC:
http://www.comminit.com/11-342-case_studies/sld-625.html

Components of SC 4:
http://www.comminit.com/stsoulcityev/sld-2969.html

***

1. EVALUATION DESIGN 

A national pre-/post-intervention survey of 2000 respondents; Panel/ 
cohort survey of 500 respondents each in 2 sites; National Qualita-
tive Impact Assessment: 31 qualitative focus group interviews; 30 
semi-structured interviews with community members representing lead-
ership, services and civil society; Evaluation of the partnership be-
tween SC and the National Network on Violence Against Women (NNVAW): 
97 semi-structured interviews with Government, service providers, 
NGOs, journalists, community members, training institutions, inter-
vention partners and stakeholders; monitoring of the 'Stop Woman 
Abuse' Helpline calls; monitoring of national print and electronic 
media; Compilation of a data base of organisations and institutions 
reached by SC; and, a cost-effectiveness study. 

http://www.comminit.com/sc4evaluation/sld-3544.html


2. REACH

"TV reached 68% (with 3 out of 4 viewers watching more than a third 
of the 13 episodes); Radio reached 65% (with 3 out of 4 listeners 
listening 'sometimes' to 'almost all episodes'); SC booklets reached 
46%; print media (booklets, editorial coverage, serialization) 
reached 64%...SC reached more than 4300 South African organisations 
and institutions" 

http://www.comminit.com/sc4evaluation/sld-3546.html 


3. Impact on society: advocacy/policy/legislation 

Violence Against Women (VAW) : "the intervention contributed to the 
changing discourse on, and prioritization of domestic violence within 
National Government; ...succeeded in putting pressure on National 
Government to speed up the implementation of the Domestic Violence 
Act..."

http://www.comminit.com/sc4evaluation/sld-3547.html 


4. Impact on national debate/national editorial media 

VAW: 49% of print media monitored dealt with/referred to domestic 
violence. Domestic violence-related coverage attributable to the 
SC/NNVAW partnership, based on quantitative comparative analysis of 
media coverage and media releases; approximately 1 in 5 articles di-
rectly referred to SC and/or the NNVAW.

http://www.comminit.com/sc4evaluation/sld-3548.html


5. Impact on communities: community action 

VAW: increased participation in community action, as well [their] in-
tention to participate: 3% of respondents reported participating in 
public protest around VAW over the evaluation period. 1% of respon-
dents with no exposure to SC reported that they had participated in 
public protest against violence against women, whereas 3% with expo-
sure to 1 source of SC, 3% with exposure to 2 sources, and 5% with 
exposure to 3 sources did.

http://www.comminit.com/sc4evaluation/sld-3550.html


6. Impact on community leaders, services, structures, communication 

"SC eased the difficulty of discussing sensitive issues (such as 
HIV/AIDS, youth sexuality and domestic violence); respondents report 
that SC provides an opening/opportunity on which to build discussion" 

"...we use [SC] as an example even when we are preaching in church. I 
mean they are so influential in that they teach people morals, and 
it's easy for people to follow what they are taught by SC because 
they identify with it." 
[Urban preacher]

http://www.comminit.com/sc4evaluation/sld-3551.html


7. Impact on collective efficacy 

"SC fosters a sense of co-operation and togetherness in problem-
solving within the community.."

"...we are not giving up, we are not telling ourselves that things 
are not going to get better. Even if there are obstacles along the 
way we know that we will get there. And that strength we have gotten 
from SC."
[Community Resident]

http://www.comminit.com/sc4evaluation/sld-3552.html 


8. Impact on connecting people to services/service delivery 

VAW: "...raised awareness and increased contact with lo-
cal...services: 16% of respondents with no access to SC had heard 
about the Stop Women Abuse Helpline (SWAH), and none of them had 
written down or kept the number, whereas 37%, 45% and 61% of respon-
dents with exposure to 1, 2 and 3 sources of SC respectively had 
heard about the SWAH and 12%, 15% and 25% accessing 1, 2 and 3 
sources had written down or kept the number." 

http://www.comminit.com/sc4evaluation/sld-3553.html


9. Impact on individuals: self-efficacy 

VAW: "Women interviewed report that SC encouraged them to act on this 
(new) awareness of their rights, and enabled them to stand up for 
their rights in oppressive or abusive contexts, or in contexts tradi-
tionally associated with unequal gender power relations."

http://www.comminit.com/sc4evaluation/sld-3554.html


10. Impact on attitudes & beliefs 

VAW: "The likelihood of holding positive attitudes and beliefs around 
domestic violence is 4.5 times higher amongst respondents with expo-
sure to [multiple SC media types] than amongst respondents with no 
exposure."

http://www.comminit.com/sc4evaluation/sld-3555.html


11. Impact on interpersonal communication 

HIV/AIDS: "'Occasional' interpersonal communication around HIV/AIDS 
improved from 37% to 43% from pre-intervention to post-intervention 
measurement, whilst 'never' talking about HIV/AIDS decreased from 34% 
to 25% between pre- and post-intervention."

http://www.comminit.com/sc4evaluation/sld-3556.html


12. Impact on (subjective) social norms 

HIV/AIDS: "The likelihood of believing one?s family, friends or com-
munity held positive views on AIDS & Youth Sexuality is 2.8 times 
higher amongst respondents with high levels of exposure to SC TV than 
amongst respondents with no exposure..."

http://www.comminit.com/sc4evaluation/sld-3557.html


13. Impact on knowledge & awareness 

HIV/AIDS: "Knowledge that there is no cure for AIDS improved...from 
79% to 89% between the pre-intervention and post-intervention meas-
urement. There was a difference of 9 percentage-points (85% vs 94%) 
between respondents with no exposure to SC TV and respondents with 
medium exposure on this item."

http://www.comminit.com/sc4evaluation/sld-3558.html


14. Impact on intermediate behaviour 

VAW: "8% of respondents reported experience of domestic violence; 
None of the respondents with no exposure to SC contacted a support 
organisation, whereas 2%, 4% and 5%..with exposure to 1, 2 and 3 
sources of SC respectively [contacted] a support organisation..."

http://www.comminit.com/sc4evaluation/sld-3559.html


15. Impact on intention 

HIV/AIDS: "Intention to ask one?s partner to use a condom improved by 
18 percentage-points amongst African respondents (from 61% to 79%), 
with a difference of 18 percentage-points (64% vs 82%) between 
[those] with no exposure to SC TV, and those with high levels of ex-
posure..."

http://www.comminit.com/sc4evaluation/sld-3560.html


16. Impact on behaviour 

HIV/AIDS: "Respondents exposed to more than one source of SC were 
significantly more likely to say they had asked a partner to use a 
condom to prevent getting HIV/AIDS during the broadcast period, with 
a difference of 28 percentage-points (57% vs 85%) between those with 
no exposure and those with exposure to 2 sources. 34%...with no expo-
sure to SC radio had asked their partner to go for an HIV 
test...compared to 77%...with medium exposure."

http://www.comminit.com/sc4evaluation/sld-3561.html

 
17. COST EFFECTIVENESS (in USDs)

Cost per person reached: TV - 0.26; Radio - 0.3; Print - 0.21
Cost-effectiveness per additional HIV/AIDS action gained: 0.27; per 
additional VAW action gained: 6.92

http://www.comminit.com/sc4evaluation/sld-3545.html


***

For the full report contact 
Sue Goldstein 
mailto:suegold@soulcity.org.za


If you have queries, contact us and we will compile and forward to SC 
mailto:wfeek@comminit.com

***

The Drum Beat seeks to cover the full range of communication for de-
velopment activities. Inclusion of an item does not imply endorsement 
or support by The Partners. 

Please send material for The Drum Beat to the Editor - 
Deborah Heimann 
mailto:dheimann@comminit.com

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