1. Virtual Design Studio Pilot Project: Towards a Participatory Design of an HIV/AIDS Awareness Campaign in Kenya RELMA/Kusa Project, Kenya Summer 2003 RELMA/Kusa Project, Kenya Summer 2003 Marie RARIEYA, Research Assistant Science and Technology Studies Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Marie RARIEYA, Research Assistant Science and Technology Studies Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute FIELDWORK REPORT

2. PRESENTATION LAYOUT Objectives and BackgroundObjectives and Background MethodologyMethodology Preliminary FindingsPreliminary Findings ConclusionConclusion

3. Objectives and Background  assess the feasibility of creating a virtual design studio to help HIV/AIDS prevention in Kenya  Supervise the participatory design of HIV/AIDS awareness campaign posters  Identify alternative strategies such as indigenous forms of communication that can be deployed towards HIV/AIDS mitigation

4. Collaborating Institutions (Actors & Organizations) Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute RELMA Kusa Community The Government (Health)

5. Site Description Lake territory shared between Kenya, Uganda & Tanzania Disease: High incidences of Malaria & HIV/AIDS Kusa in Nyando County

6. Methodology Open-ended Interviews Participant Observation Participatory Design ICTs Usability Study Tested Learnlic Software Yahoo group (RVDS)

7. ACTIVITIES Organized Local Design teams Pass information to and from VDS team at RPI via ICTs Pass information to and from local design teams in Kusa and Nairobi via ICTs

8. ACTIVITIES Participate in RELMA Activities in Kusa Surveys & Visits (Orphans, PLWA) Development Partners Network Meeting in Kusa HIV Launch in Kusa, July 28 - 29 Link with Ministry of Health Officials

9. HIV/AIDS AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS Communication Strategies KUSA COMMUNITY SOCCER GROUP - KUSA July 28 2003

10. HIV/AIDS AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS Communication Strategies TASO DRAMA GROUP – DANCE, KUSA July 29, 2003

11. HIV/AIDS AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS Communication Strategies TASO DRAMA GROUP

12. Communication Strategies : PLWA- Helping Fight The Disease PLWA SPEAK ABOUT AIDS CRISIS – KUSA July 29, 2003

13. Communication Strategies : PLWA- Helping Fight The Disease POSTER – ICRAF PARTICIPANT

14. Activity Summary RPI Objectives RPI Activities Collaboration with Local Groups Activities which Combine RPI & Local (e.g. Posters/Launch) e.g. Bao game Change

15. Communication Strategies : Use of Ajua Game “ Ajua” or Bao game: A potential game for AIDS and Math Education

16. Fieldwork Challenges How to Negotiate Tensions Local Projects (Kusa, Relma) Objectives Methods Objectives Methods RPI Research Project

17. Preliminary Findings Existing Information technologies has potential to improving communications strategies (e.g. resource centre with computer, Internet & E-mail access, CD/Video information, Posters/Flyers KUSA OFFICE: USES SOLAR TECHNOLOGY TO POWER COMPUTER, TV & TO CHARGE THEIR DIGITAL CAMERA

18. OUTPUT Generated a collection of Posters, Flyers and Video Collected data on alternative communication methods using People Living With Aids –Audiotapes (PLWAS) Individual participants documented their project journals TASO Participation in the Kusa Campaign

19. CONCLUSION Through the STS lens, we need to investigate why current efforts to mitigate HIV infections have proved ineffective in Kenya With an infrastructure in place, ICTs can play a complimentary role in enhancing current prevention campaigns Access to drugs and treatment should be a priority Hunger and poverty is a major player in HIV pandemic

20. THE END Thank You