Desenvolvimento de jovens

HIV epidemic in Botswana, among the highest in the world, has resulted in 32,254 vulnerable children reported in early 2013, an increase since 2008. Youth face an increased risk of violence, emotional distress and HIV due to widespread alcohol abuse, unemployment and a struggling education system. In Botswana, 38.9%, of the population is between ages 10 and 24, but while this population could contribute greatly to development, peace and security, they are not being met with sufficient support. National government has formally committed to providing services to provide youth with education, healthcare, nutrition, safety, psychosocial wellbeing and social protection but has signaled the importance of the working with stakeholders in and outside government to develop these support networks.

In the Dintshang project, PING has developed an online platform to engage youth ages 15-35 in frank discussions focusing on topics like love, relationships, sexuality, gender identity and disparities, societal norms, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) (including HIV/AIDS), cultural issues and more. Topics will be presented using celebrity and entertainment content (both local and international) as the vehicle to drive interest and foster dialogue, often by asking provocative questions geared to bring up subjects that are rarely, if ever, taught. The platform will be accessible online and via smart or basic mobile phones, and through every modality participants will be will be able to both participate in frank discussions and access a location-based directory of support services.

Dintshang aims to provide a platform that disseminates information about HIV/AIDS, gender violence, cultural norms, healthy relationships, love, and other health- related information by relating to youth in Botswana in an entertainment-oriented manner, which will be shared virally through the Dintshang site and social media. Discussions begun on Dintshang will only be the first step toward enacting social change and initiative a broader discussion amongst youth themselves about the role these issues play in their lives. Objectives include: increase self efficacy to discuss and change relevant social and cultural structures, strengthen community structures and referral networks to meet youth’s needs and initiate exchanges between individuals of differing viewpoints and backgrounds.

Dintshang’s value lies in its fresh and innovative use of semi-traditional social media for a positive purpose. The interactive mobile and internet platforms that Dintshang employs are the perfect media for this kind of exchange. As Botswana has an estimated mobile phone penetration rate of 164%, engaging audiences through both basic and smart mobile phone and internet platforms ensures that nearly all Batswana will have a way to access Dintshang. In a country that is among the least densely populated in the world, Dintshang provides an important opportunity for youth to exchange ideas and interact with individuals far outside their community. Having a reliable source of health resources and a safe place to ask serious questions is valuable to users and would be new in Botswana.

Keletso, a 19-year old female living outside Lobatse, Botswana is a typical Dintshang customer. Keletso loves reading about Chris Brown and Rihanna’s tumultuous relationship and even though her boyfriend doesn’t physically abuse her, she feels like she and Rihanna are both trapped in relationships that are not good for them. Keletso wants to hear about local and international stars but feels like she would have to spend hours surfing the web, reading newspaper articles and listening to radio shows to do really be up to date. She has lived in the same town all her life, but has no idea about youth empowerment organizations or mental health services nearby. If she did, she would probably get her younger brother help because she thinks he is developing an unhealthy alcohol dependency.

Dintshang platforms' launch will coincide with traditional publicity, including the design and production of media such as flyers, billboards and posters, to be donated by our telecommunications partner, Mascom. In these early phases, Dintshang will also be promoted at local concerts and sports games, and through an independent Dintshang launch party with Yarona FM. Dintshang will target university campuses as a major part of outreach and promotion, and form partnerships with student organizations to spread the word through their networks. Dintshang will partially rely on users to share the site between themselves, both by word of mouth and through Dintshang’s Facebook and Twitter pages. These other sites will be big sources of new users once Dintshang has attracted a small following.

Before release, the Dintshang platforms will be subjected to consumer testing by local youth. PING hosted one customer development session to get feedback on how youth access health information, use the internet and what they thought of the site. As development completes, attention will shift to the site launch. PING will leverage partners like Mascom, local radio and television and government and publicize the site through print, social networks, and other media sources in order to attract users, culminating with a launch event at major universities in Gaborone, Botswana. PING will also form partnerships with local media to provide content on local celebrities, and train a blogger and moderator to find and post stories and discussion questions while monitoring site activity.

Our most notable peer is Young Africa Live, a website started by the Praekelt Foundation, that connects users to stories about HIV/AIDS and help lines where they can find referrals or support. PING believes that YAL, while similar, is not a competitor, as our tool is unique to Botswana, a market that we are very familiar with. Additionally, by adding mobile phone capabilities and location-based services, PING's platform is even more accessible to users, particularly youth. Dintshang has other seeming competitors in the social media space, like Twitter, Facebook and Tumbr, who it hopes to turn into collaborators by creating a Dintshang Facebook and Twitter page to re-direct traffic back to discussion on the Dintshang site.

PING’s major challenge is securing mid-term funding for our projects to sustain them until they can be funded and adopted by local government. To overcome this challenge, PING as branched to create a for-profit sister organization called Develo that utilizes lessons learned from working with technology in emerging markets. Develo, a for-profit, will generate revenue for PING, creating a synergy between the two arms. Currently, as projects are launching for both Develo and PING, the organization as a whole is struggling financially, making it difficult to secure adequate staff to sustain our projects in the short term. In light of current discussions with Ministry of Health, for-profit partners and others, PING believes that both will be able to carry out long-term plans.

PING relies on strong partnerships, expanding our hybrid operation model, working with local government and continuing to train local youth, ultimately creating a methodology for expansion that can be applied to various developing countries. Much of PING’s success to date has been tied to these business practices and our innovative business practices, as we move to expand this in coming years.

In light of our past successes, partners including government, international funders and local for-profits have expressed interest in continuing working with PING, and we are continually approached by organizations in Africa who are interested in forging collaborations who are interested in PING’s focus on creating sustainable products and weaving lessons learned into future products.

PING aims to expand operations to 3 to 5 countries in the next 3 years. In each, PING’s youth mentorship program will be replicated and local offices will be 70% youth led, with an understanding that this will require us to grow thoughtfully and may take time to establish but will ultimately be the most sustainable as youth can grow within the organization as we transition to government funding.

In the short-term, PING is looking to launch and expand several products, including Dintshang. Additionally, PING hopes to expand the piloted malaria surveillance and mapping project with the support of the Ministry of Health and interested funding partners. PING is in talks with various branches of the MOH to discuss new projects as well. PING also hopes to solidify a partnership with a research institution to ensure that our projects are held to the highest monitoring and evaluation standards as we move forward. By the end of 2013, PING would like to see an expansion to Mozambique, where partnerships have already been forged with local partner organizations. At the same time, PING looks to see its for-profit arm, Develo, secure product funding and add to PING’s long-term sustainability.