HIV/AIDS/Maternal/Child Health Public Service Announcement Campaign

This initiative draws on the mass media to make change, with the participation of personalities meant to spark the attention of Cambodians to the issues at hand. For instance, Loak Chuoy ("Mr. Help") is a talking animated condom starring in many of the radio and TV PSAs. In one such spot, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Goodwill Ambassador (and actor/action hero) Jackie Chan teams up with Loak Chuoy to send the message that even "tough guys" need the protection that condoms offer. One male focus group participant commented, "Even Jackie Chan, who is strong, still needs Loak Chouy. So even if we are strong, we need Loak Chouy too." Jackie Chan also joined the fight against HIV-related stigma by starring in another of the campaign's PSAs alongside a group of Cambodians living with HIV and AIDS. Here, the participation of those actually experiencing the ramifications of the infection was a humanising strategy meant to foster understanding and empathy rather than fear and rejection.

Children participate in many of the PSAs. For example, one of the campaign's most popular maternal and child health PSAs was about breastfeeding. In it, a child sings some advice to her mother based on a traditional lullaby. A leading boy band composer put music to the lullaby to jazz it up. "The PSA become so successful that you could download it as a ring-tone on your mobile phone in the market." In another, a group of enthusiastic schoolchildren sing and dance to a peer who wants to play with them, but whose hands are dirty. Joyfully, they encourage him to avoid diarrhoea through handwashing by joining him in washing with soap. He is then invited to join their circle of friendship and song.

HIV/AIDS, Child and Maternal Health.

In the space of a year, the radio PSAs were broadcast more than 35,000 times across 11 radio stations. A total of 31 television and 30 radio PSAs about HIV and AIDS were produced; the radio PSAs about HIV and AIDS were broadcast a total of 22,813 times. Loak Chuoy was recognised by 64% of all media consumers and 75% of TV viewers. In addition, 23 television and 22 radio PSAs about mother and child health issues were produced. Eighty-three percent of all media consumers and 88% of radio listeners had heard the 'breastfeeding' song.