VZCZCXRO8813
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHTO #1015 3040934
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 300934Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY MAPUTO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9481
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 0137
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0269

UNCLAS MAPUTO 001015 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KHIV EAID MZ
SUBJECT: EMBASSY-FUNDED SOAP OPERA TO TACKLE HIV/AIDS, 
OTHER HEALTH ISSUES 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY: On October 15, the Charge participated in a 
signing ceremony to award a one-year, $400,000 grant to 
Mozambican media giant SOICO.  The grant is funded from the 
Embassy's PEFPAR Small Grants Program and will be used to 
produce 15 episodes of a soap opera with a 30-minute format 
focusing on health issues, including HIV/AIDS.  The project 
represents the first major public/private partnership 
involving the Embassy and a major private media company in 
Mozambique and could serve as an example for future projects. 
 END SUMMARY. 
 
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INVESTING IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR 
------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) The grant agreement with SOICO, the parent company of 
the largest independent media group in Mozambique, which 
includes the daily newspaper O Pais and the television 
station STV, should prove to be an important strategic 
partnership with one of the most influential private 
companies in the country.  O Pais, formerly a weekly 
newspaper, became a daily earlier in October, and STV is now 
estimated to be the country's most watched television 
channel.  The project falls under SOICO's wide-ranging social 
initiative "Mozambique in Action," which utilizes public 
relations to stimulate society into actively contributing to 
the country's growth and development.  In this case, a focus 
on health, hygiene, and infectious diseases offers an 
opportunity to educate the public and motivate them to 
protect themselves and their loved ones. 
 
--------------------------------- 
THE SOAP OPERA AS A TEACHING TOOL 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) The soap opera, entitled "Life for Everyone," will 
initially produce 15 30-minute episodes (possibly expanding 
to 30 episodes).  Episodes will focus on a specific 
health-related topic within a real-life Mozambican context, 
followed by a 30-minute discussion of the story to include 
audience and viewer participation.  Such a format will allow 
viewers not only to learn from the story presented, but also 
to further engage and ask questions following the program. 
While TV is still not the primary source of media for most 
Mozambicans, coverage continues to expand, and the production 
team has future plans to transfer the soap opera stories into 
radio programs to reach a larger audience.  Since signing the 
grant agreement, STV has worked closely with the Embassy to 
tailor the focus and content of the programs to ensure 
consistency with the USG message on HIV/AIDS and malaria. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
COMMENT: AN INNOVATIVE BLUEPRINT FOR THE FUTURE 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶4. (SBU) There are several reasons to believe the project 
will be successful.  First, key members of the production 
team are Brazilian, and the team has produced Brazilian soap 
operas (which are very popular in Mozambique) as well as the 
Mozambique segments of several Hollywood movies, including 
Blood Diamond.  Such experience should help build the 
capacity of Mozambican producers.  Indeed, the creativity of 
the proposal was a major factor in the decision to partner 
with SOICO.  Second, the project hired a group of popular 
Mozambican theater actors, generally considered to be the 
best in the country.  Finally, STV's willingness to confer 
regularly with us concerning the show's content should ensure 
that the USG message, particularly concerning HIV/AIDS, is 
clear.  We also believe that partnering with a growing 
independent media giant will cement our ties with this 
important sector and lead to future opportunities for 
cooperation. 
 
Chapman