Haath Se Haath Milaa. Youth television show by BBC,PB & NACO

[Guest guest]

Haath Se Haath Milaa

Summary

Haath Se Haath Milaa is a youth television show that was produced in

north India by the BBC World Service Trust in association with Prasar

Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation of India) and National Aids Control

Organisation (NACO). The aim of this 40-episode TV series was to

create an unbroken human chain of 80 young people, joining their

hands to raise awareness and to participate actively in the fight

against AIDS.

Main Communication Strategies

Two caravan-style buses (one for participating girls and one for

boys) journeyed through 5 Indian states picking up 2 young people

(or " Humsafars " ) from each village visited. The Humsafars come from a

variety of backgrounds, and included paan wala, boatmen, tailors,

taxi drivers, mothers, and housewives. The young Humsafars joining

the chain often faced strong opposition from their families and, at

times, their entire village. Some of them were HIV-positive;

organisers claim that the journey provided them with a platform from

which to have their say.

The Humsafars aimed through the journey to increase awareness about

the disease, create an AIDS charity anthem, and release a charity

music album to raise money for the fight against AIDS. The record

they produced, Lau (Flame), reached the top 10 of the music charts in

5 major Indian cities.

Development Issues

HIV/AIDS, Youth.

Key Points

The series culminated on February 26 2003, having reached 6,180,989

people. Of those, 634,788 said they had taken specific action as a

result of the programme.

Partners

BBC World Service Trust, Prasar Bharati, and NACO.

Source

" HIV/Aids youth show " , dated September 15 2003, on the BBC World

Service Trust site.

For more information, contact:

Tim

Project Director

BBC World Service Trust

904 NE Bush House, Strand, London W2CB 4PH UK

Tel.: 44 20 7557 3974, Fax: 44 20 7378 1622

tim.williams@...

Placed on the Communication Initiative site March 31 2004.

http://www.comminit.com/pds32004/sld-9913.html