Zain through its corporate social commitment joined other stakeholders in a bid to increase HIV awareness starting at its own workplace. The project involved creating HIV/AIDS & Health awareness among Zain employees and their relatives via SMS, and encouraging employees and their relatives to get tested for HIV and know their status. Zain partnered with Text to Change, a young dynamic organization that has strong knowledge and a track record in developing text messaging programs for the health sector, to achieve these objectives.


Text to Change (TTC) one of the pioneers in using mobile phones for health monitoring and advocacy in Africa, specializes in interactive and incentive based text message programs addressing a wide range of health issues. It uses state of the art mobile phone technology to collect and disseminate information. It develops innovative advocacy campaigns that use the latest insights in marketing adapted to the developing country context. TTC currently works in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Namibia. The Zain Text to Change/HIV/AIDS sensitization SMS Quiz program targeted 506 ZAIN staff in Kenya. Over a period over 4 weeks (NOV/DEC 2009) Text to Change challenged ZAIN workers with 3 multiple choice questions every week regarding HIV/AIDS issues and where to go for HIV testing. Prior to this, a baseline study, to assess the HIV/AIDS knowledge levels of the Zainers, was performed via intranet. As an extra motivator prizes in the form of airtime, Mobile phones, First Aid kits, FC Barcelona Football Shirts and subscriptions to the Gym were won by staff who responded with the right answers. One of the Zain staff members intimated: “I believe that the Text to Change program is very exciting as it challenges us to learn more about HIV/AIDS and it encouraged me to discuss the questions with colleagues; it was good to hear each other’s opinions”


With an average response rate of 220 responses per question (active participation in the SMS quiz or 43%), the program returned promising results. 506 ZAIN employees in Kenya accessed directly HIV/AIDS related information and informed about testing services. At the close of the program 10% of the employees voluntarily went for HIV test.
Rene Meza, Zain Kenya’s Managing Director, said: “Zain Kenya is very committed to working with Text to Change. The TTC SMS quiz has really proven to be a simple and very successful way to transfer HIV/AIDS sensitisation and other health related messages to our staff members and to many people in the African communities.”
Due to the success of the Kenya program, the Text to Change program will be expanded as a Zain Group supported Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative to the other Zain OPCOs in Africa and the Middle East; starting with Uganda and Madagascar in the first Quarter of 2010.

Red more in the ZAIN inhouse magazine: Chaos by Design: www.texttochange.org/sites/default/files/ZAIN-TTC_0.pdf