Cell phones

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Cell phones HIV prevention loveLife
Trina DasGupta, New Media Consultant
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South African Youth HIV

• Young people have got the message about HIV
  prevention.
• What continues to drive HIV is not their response
  to the message, but their response to their
  circumstances.
• Perception of limited day-to-day opportunity
  (social, educational, economic) is the core fuel
  for the epidemic in South Africa.
• In fact, half the lifetime risk of HIV infection
  among young women is crammed into just five years
  after leaving school.

Source Pettifor et al (2004). HIV and sexual
behaviour among young South Africans A national
survey of 15-24 year olds 2003., Reproductive
Health Research Unit, University of Witwatersrand
(secondary analysis)
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loveLife Make Your Move
Nationwide campaign designed to help young
people

• Develop personal initiative
• Better navigate day-to-day pressures and
  challenges
• Create links to opportunities

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loveLife
6,000 peer educators (groundBreakers and
Mpintshis)
3,700 schools
Reach 500,000 youth / month with direct
face-to-face interaction
150 community-based partner NGOs
350 government clinics
Sustained Media Radio, TV, Print, Web, and Mobile
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loveLife
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Mobile Social Networking

• Over 75 of South African youth own mobile
  phones, 71 in informal settlements and 67 in
  rural areas.
• 60 use their cell phone to SMS or make calls
  everyday.
• Internet access via computers is low at 6, but
  South Africas mobile internet usage via WAP is
  one of the highest in the world.
• Social networking plays directly into the three
  key triggers to behavior change sense of
  identity, belonging, and purpose.

• Sources
• Kaiser Family Foundation and SABC, Young South
  Africans, Broadcast Media, and HIV/AIDS. March
  2007.
• South African Advertising Research Foundation,
  All Media and Products Survey 2006.
• WAP Review, Great Mobile Web Statistics from
  AdMob (http//wapreview.com/blog/?p416).

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MYMsta

• Worlds first cell phone-based social network
  dedicated to youth empowerment HIV prevention
• Primary goal creating links to opportunity
• Designed to complement loveLifes face-to-face
  network
• Incredibly inexpensive (R0.02 - 0.05/page)

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MYMsta www.mymsta.mobi
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MYMsta www.mymsta.mobi
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MYMsta www.mymsta.mobi
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MYMsta www.mymsta.mobi
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MYMsta Launch
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MYMsta 4 weeks

• 5661 registered users

• 500,000 pages of activity

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MYMsta Press
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MYMstas Future
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MYMstas Future

• Phase 2 Careers Map

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Cell phones HIV prevention loveLife
Trina DasGupta, New Media Consultant trina_at_trinada
sgupta.com