Their role may be unacknowledged. But not even open humiliation can hold back the momentum of youth now ascending to the frontline of the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Started in earnest in 1999 after years of foot dragging, HIV/AIDS campaign has literally faltered over time. Now a new lease of life is in the offing, thanks to undying enthusiasm, vigour and innovativeness of the youth. And it is the long inert power of drama, now rejuvenated, that is oiling the engine of change - breaking the loud and obstructive apathy of many a force of social change.

Sad - isn't? - AIDS no longer occupies the centre stage of national life. The most devastating epidemic receives the most casual and peripheral attention in terms of budget allocation, debate in Parliament, and least time in school and church.

The media, inordinately bent on trumpeting opinions of politicians, long disregarded the AIDS and by implication, the plight of the entire communities. Work, views, life and times of those outside the 'who -is- who' class has become more and more marginal news. So do the lowly deserve a right to inform the national decision making organs? Not when these news value judgements persist. Not when interests of those in power are at such variance with the masses of communities.

But then came the power of drama! Alas, the youth can now reflect on their own behaviour dilemmas in the local environment. They then choose options, which through intense social marketing, are cemented into the social fabric.
Once accepted, the options result in collective youth behaviour change stemming the spread of HIV. Its ripples - effect are felt in other population segments.

Leading the youth in discovering their own capacity to change their lives for the better is Sanaa Art Promotions, the largest organisation of artistes in Kenya. Better Tomorrow, is their newest radio drama series broadcast nationally by the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation. Through contact setting, baseline survey, focused group discussions and message development workshops, the key dilemmas to behaviour change and options, as synthesis of these participatory and interactive discussions are harvested.

A story line is developed; the play scripted and the skits presented to the community to confirm the dilemmas and options. Many interjections, criticisms and rewriting from individual participants, groups and stakeholders, help refine the script followed by auditioning, out reaches, recording and finally broadcast.

Use of drama to effect behaviour change has been used before but never been so intensely participatory. SAP's the unique Participatory Interactive Media Model (PIMM) gives it superior scientific approach in identifying, prioritising and zeroing in on key behaviour change dilemmas the youth face in varied environments. It is a programme owned by the youth, about the youth, by and for the youth.

KBC has a reach of the 80 percent of the country's 30 million population. Initial positive response from teachers, parents, pupils and HIV/AIDS stakeholders indicate that SAP artistes are bound to make considerable impact among the youth. It is a programme in which the target group has implicit faith.
Those interviewed say the drama series is timely and would ignite youth interest, concern and move them into action of adopting safe behaviours, top among them being abstinence.

Youth in Kenya were largely left out of previous HIV/AIDS programmes which focused on girl child and women. Socio-economic devastation of HIV/AIDS necessitated scaling up of the campaign but was inconsistent with the rapid shift of focus to other emergencies like the famine, corruption in national AIDS control body and infighting in the ruling party, Narc. They are factors that undermined efforts to control the epidemic afflicting most of the youth. Yet the millions afflicted were also overwhelmed by message fatigue from hum - drum approaches.

It is against this backdrop of waning interest in HIV/AIDS that PIMM has been described by the country's AIDS control body as 'innovative and fresh' approach. It should jolt youth interest in HIV prevention as drama provides an interesting angle to the fights against HIV/AIDS.

This is unlike the previous top-bottom communication used in the war against the epidemic for years. Experts came to force down throats of communities ready - made solutions.
This time round PIMM, essentially a dialogue is harnessing potential of communities. It upholds respect of culture and local traditions and all along sustains sense of collective ownership of the process including its successes and hiccups, by all. - PIMM Features.