What is Social and Behavior Change Communication?
Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) can be broadly defined as the attempt to change a population’s behavior by influencing its knowledge, attitudes, and social norms via a singular or variety of communication techniques. Modern SBCC was born from a series of behavioral change theories that gained traction in academic communities throughout the 1980s. This block of scholarly work included the theory of reasoned action, theory of planned behavior, diffusion of innovation theory, and the health action process approach. While each of these theories expressed unique arguments about how to best impact behavior change, they all affirmed that the individual is the focal point of change in society. Consequently, modern SBCC focuses on providing individuals with information, demonstrating the proper behaviors needed to achieve the desired goal, and creating a supportive environment that can accelerate the behavior change itself.
One particular method of SBCC that has yielded markedly positive results is the use of mobile video in rural communities. In 2014, researchers found that the Maternal and Newborn Health in Ethiopia Partnership (MaNHEP) project had a tremendous impact on its subjects located in rural Ethiopian kebeles (villages). MaNHEP produced a video in Amharic and Afan-Oromo, the dominant languages of the target region, which portrayed two fictional families dealing with childbirth in two distinct ways. The first family took advantage of all the health resources available to them; the mother and newborn also received assistance from the husband. All went well for this family. The second family featured an autocratic husband who did not allow the mother to attend health meetings, nor did he allow the mother to accept help from a health extension worker or trained community volunteer. This father also forced the mother to work late into her pregnancy. Both the mother and newborn child of the second family died at childbirth and the husband consequently promised to teach his community about proper maternal care using his own devastating example. As moving as this tale may be, it would have been worthless if it did not impact the behavior of its audience.
By the end of the project, this video was shown to 28,389 individuals in 51 Ethiopian kebeles. MaNHEP’s goal in producing this video was to inform the kebele’s population of the problems that can arise and actions that must be taken before, during, and after childbirth. The quantitative data gathered from an exit survey proved that there was a statistically significant higher rate of retention of MaNHEP’s messages amongst individuals that had seen the video compared to those that had not. The study also included interviews with individuals who stated that the video accurately portrayed life in their kebele and that the use of Amharic and Afan-Oromo made the messages more relatable. Relatedly, this study proved that the use of video as a tool for education overcame challenges posed by the high levels of illiteracy that were found in the kebeles. This highlights the importance and function of incorporating local cultures and languages into SBCC materials. Similarly to this project, illuminAid utilizes mobile video SBCC methodology to impact the lives of tens of thousands of people residing in the poorest and most remote regions of our world.
illuminAid delivers training and video technology to non-governmental organization (NGO) staff in lesser developed countries in order to connect rural communities to humanitarian assistance programs. Our goal is to effect positive behavior change by empowering local staff to educate their own communities using video. illuminAid workshops provide individuals with beneficial information and establish a supportive environment that fosters positive behavior change amongst locals. After the technical training is completed, staff are able to create SBCC video in their own unique language and culture to share with rural communities. In accordance with the MaNHEP study, illuminAid has found that using video for educational purposes functions to evade logistical issues that arise when instructing rural populations with high illiteracy rates. illuminAid also plays a critical role in disseminating these videos via the technological solutions we provide to our partner NGO; solar-powered mobile projectors and cameras. This technology conquers logistical difficulties that arise when attempting to show video in hard to reach communities which usually lack access to electricity.
Ultimately, illuminAid has created an effective approach to assisting the world’s poorest people by combining established SBCC practices with mobile and eco-friendly video technology. As demonstrated by the MaNHEP example, video is an effective means of enacting behavior change in rural communities, especially when that video is created using local culture and language. Beneficiaries from illuminAid’s project with CARE in Malawi were quick to speak on the effectiveness of video with one individual, Flora Mthiwatiwa, stating, “By watching [video], our trust in the message deepens because we see what people in different communities are doing that can help us learn and apply the lessons in our life.” During this mission, illuminAid trained 26 individuals on how to edit video and prepare a community video screening event. A quantitative exit survey of this project revealed that over 90% of participants responded positively to all questions regarding their knowledge gained through video and effectiveness of video to deliver messages to their community.
Across 25 developing countries, illuminAid has equipped over 600 individuals with the power to create behavior change videos that have so far reached over 24,000 beneficiaries. An independent digital research analyst consultant and a team of behavioral science statistics practitioners from California State University, Chico, all found a statistically significant positive impact from illuminAid’s workshops. By blending modern technology with popular Social and Behavioral Change Communication techniques, illuminAid has emerged as an innovative and effective leader in the NGO realm. Here at illuminAid, we will continue to strive to better the lives of our world’s most impoverished populations using SBCC methodology, and we would love your support in doing so. If you would like to aid our work, a donation link can be found here.