New names for old friends

To kick off a new year, we’ve changed some things around here. As of 1 January 2021, our HCR teams in the UK and Pakistan are operating as ‘Amplifying Voices’. Our Australian team will continue to be known as Health Communication Resources, and we continue to work together as an international family.

The Amplifying Voices teams have got a new name, new logo, new colours, new websites, and new stories! But why the change?

Health Communication Resources (HCR) was founded in 1996 as a health promotion organisation. The WHO defines health promotion as "the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve their health”. You could say, health promotion is amplifying voices - its what we've always done! The names Health Communication Resources and HCR have a well-established history among Australian public health service providers, and among the aboriginal communities in Western Australia where we work, so in Australia we will continue as Health Communication Resources or HCR.

However, the UK and Pakistan teams work in different contexts and had identified a need for a name that helps people to visualise how media projects help communities bring about changes in wellbeing, peacebuilding and resilience. The name ‘Amplifying Voices’ does paint a picture of communities being equipped to speak out and be heard in order to take the lead in their own development.

Different names, same family

Health Communication Resources (HCR) and Amplifying Voices (AmpVoices) continue to be part of the international HCR family.

HCR and Amplifying Voices continue to pursue our shared vision together as we seek to see communities live life in all its fullness, free from poverty, injustice, and conflict.  

Our vision and values remain unchanged, we continue to be a family sharing a common commitment: we’re taking the same approach in using community-centred media to further our mission.

Whether in Australia or elsewhere, our role is to come alongside communities and listen. It’s then we can empower people to find what media solutions work in their local contexts. We help train partners and community members on how to use tools and strategies to their full potential so that the communities themselves can champion positive social change. This is our approach in every community-centred media project.

Why focus on community-centred media?

A typical community-centred media project brings together community members, service providers, and media organisations to create content. The media content can be anything from a social media video talking about protecting our mental health to an informal chat where a community member shares their story. It’s designed to tackle issues that are raised by the community. This, in turn, gets people talking about their ideas and opinions and helps people hear others’ hopes and concerns. 

Our partners then use trusted communication channels to broadcast or distribute the content, to help them play a key role in mobilising inclusive, community-led initiatives. What’s important is that the community members play a key role in designing and voicing the messages and content.

Health communication happens best by amplifying community voices. Amplifying local voices is a proven, effective way to mobilise local resources for health communication.

What’s next? 

As an international family we are currently working with eight projects, where community-centred media is making a positive impact. Exciting developments are happening in each of them, and we’d love to keep you updated as part of our supporting community! You can subscribe to sign up for our monthly newsletter, or help get more people involved by clicking the share link below. Go and do the same on Amplifying Voices UK and Amplifying Voices Pakistan site.

Thanks for joining us in this new chapter of the HCR International Family.

Media for the children by the children

A couple of weeks ago HCR Pakistan held a competition with boys and girls from the government primary school in a village near Charsadda. The competition got children thinking about sickness and how to prevent it – especially Covid-19.

Typically, during this time of year, children get more sickness. The community health worker told us that children suffer a lot from typhoid, diarrhea, gastro-diseases and tapeworm. Covid-19 adds to the risk, especially after the schools re-opened at the end of summer. The health worker also noticed that families and children were not following the Covid-19 health guidelines.

The community volunteers from HCR’s local partner, New Dawn, decided to revitalise families’ awareness around handwashing and hygiene. So, the created audio slots on social media and the local FM station which primarily addressed the adults. They wondered what the most effective media would be to engage children. We know from experience that media messages are most effective when community members are involved in creating them. After consultation with HCR Pakistan, New Dawn decided to hold a painting competition for primary school age children, to create pictures about the importance of handwashing, especially after using the toilet. It was community-centred media, but not as we know it!

Children in Majukay creating a hygiene poster

In a major first for this community, girls were allowed to participate in the competition alongside boys. The first prize went to one of the boys and the second prize was awarded to a class 4 girl.

A student who got the first prize said, "I did not know how important it was to wash hands for our healthy lives. From now on I will tell my family the importance of handwashing and hygiene.”

Art was previously been considered a low priority for childrens’ education but this looks set to change, as we heard from school staff members:

The school principal said:

“we did not realize how talented our children are.​ Through this painting competition, we also learned a lot. We’ve decided to start a new period in our weekly schedule to promote painting.”

Teacher #1: This was the first time we have experienced such an activity "learning in fun". our students also learned about competition.

Teacher#2: We need more such activities in the future as girls and boys loved it and learned about [Covid-19 hygiene rules].

Competition entries on display

Let's start a business, to end poverty

“Tuanze Biashara” is Swahili for “Let's Start a Business”, a poverty alleviation project integrating a community radio station, social media, training workshops and a savings and loan association. See how this innovative micro-enterprise project is lifting people in eastern Kenya’s Tana River County out of poverty.

Carpet talk

Day 8 of #16DaysofActivism

 By Jon Hargreaves

“Gender inequality exists throughout Kenya, but it’s particularly bad in this part of the country,” says Harriet Atyang, the manager of HCR partner station Amani FM in Tana River.   In many situations Harriet says women are subjected to abuse and violence, but it is rarely reported, as it seen as a cultural norm. 

Recounting a story where one young girl was given by her parents to an old man, Harriet said, “A woman is often seen as a man’s property.  Many men see the role of women is purely to give birth and look after the home, but they don’t have a voice and are left out of decision-making.” 

It is for that reason that Amani FM has many programmes to promote change like “Jamvi la mwanamke jasiri”, or ‘Carpet Talk’. The idea is that the carpet is a place where people can sit and feel comfortable and confident to share their concerns.  By airing women’s stories, Amani FM is starting a community conversation and they find that men are engaging positively with the issue too.   With the help of other Non-Government Organisations and counselling services, the station is helping women to find help and making the community aware of their rights. 

“Judging by the number of calls we are getting to the programmes, we are having an effect.  Many are calling in and really opening up with their personal stories,” says Harriet. “It is going to take time, but however long it takes, we are going to keeping working with communities and other stakeholders to bring about the change that is needed.”

Harriet and Esther from Amani FM interview community members.