Touch screens take HIV/AIDS education to the people

The MTNF-PAAC (Partnership Against Aids in the Community) is a private sector led initiative which adopts a multi-faceted approach in addressing the HIV/AIDS pandemic.  The project aims to raise awareness and educate approximately 30 million people through mass media and individual contact.  It also aims to provide counseling and testing to over 6,000 people, provide mother-to-child prevention to 600 women and provide capacity building for health care providers. In addition, two out of a projected six Voluntary Counseling Centres have been commissioned and 12 HIV/AIDS self-instruction screens have been installed in strategic locations across the country. The self-instruction screens provide information in English and major Nigerian languages. We believe that they are the first of their kind in Africa.

Through these and other projects, MTNF has acted as a catalyst for change in Nigeria’s evolving social and economic development landscape. Our experience in partnering with various organizations for development provides a compelling argument for the positive role that business can play in supporting national development objectives.  Elements of the MTNF model are now being studied and replicated by a growing number of corporate organizations in and outside the country.

Lessons Learned
 
The concept of partnering for development was at the heart of MTNF’s social investment strategy from the very beginning. Why partnering? In order to make a positive difference, we had to find an effective way of combining global efficiency with local knowledge and sensitivity.  A major advantage we had was that funding was readily available because our parent company, MTN, made an upfront commitment of 1 percent of profits after tax.  But funding does not guarantee performance, and we knew it was critical to find the right projects, the right partners and achieve the right results.

A major problem was that the requisite skills and manpower could not be found in any one place or organization. It, therefore, seemed clear to us that some collaboration would be required. However, at that time, the concept of partnering was no more than a carefully honed theoretical construct. The real challenge would come in translating it into reality and delivering concrete results.

To meet the challenge, we adopted what has evolved into a dynamic and unique home-grown model of collaborative action. We draw on deep local insights and networks, and blend continuous dialogue and stakeholder consultation with strict performance targets. 

Our initial multi-stakeholder engagements sharpened our focus. Vigorous debates ensued which sparked public interest and helped identify fertile areas for intervention relevant to the target communities and society-at-large. To be effective, the dialogue could not be completely open-ended. Once a project was identified, the partners best qualified to perform locally were chosen and given a clear framework within which to operate and measurable goals on which to deliver. We focused fervently on relationships that would produce results and used pilot schemes to test viability before a final project launch.  We were always very clear on the target beneficiaries and the impact our projects should have on both the beneficiaries and the wider community. This rigour helped ensure a near 100 percent success rate in meeting set goals.

Intangible factors such as transparency, integrity and sincerity of purpose have been critical to the success of each of our projects.  Ethical values are embedded in MTNF’s activities.  Rigorous internal governance structures are in place and the highest standards are expected of the MTNF Board, management, partners and beneficiaries. 
 

MTN "phone lady"

Another important lesson is that ideas which are implemented in close consultation with target communities can have a huge ripple effect and gather increasing momentum. The MTNF Rural Telephone Project is a case in point.  The “phone ladies” are trained and equipped to provide call services to members of their community.  The cost is converted into loans that are repaid monthly. On average the “phone ladies” have been able to increase their monthly income by more than 400 percent and expand their businesses. Based on their financial probity and discipline, they have joined together and accessed a facility costing 3,000,000 Nigerian Naira (about US$23,000) outside the project. Examples such as this suggest that it is possible to combine social responsibility with business strategy in order achieve impressive results in terms of the positive impact on individuals and communities.
  
Our experience over three short years demonstrates that private sector driven stakeholder partnerships which are dynamic, homegrown, transparently implemented and responsive to local conditions can be exceptionally powerful tools for transforming the lives of ordinary people in developing countries.