Impact Data - Famili Blong Serah - A Radio Series

Increased knowledge was mainly around the types of family planning/contraception available to men and women and STIs. The use of condoms in preventing unwanted pregnancy was a key lesson learned and the fact that it was acceptable for girls to carry condoms with them. The many misconceptions around birth control methods were also addressed during focus group discussions. Basic anatomy was a mystery to some who believed that condoms could come off and get "lost" inside a women's body. There was a lack of understanding about how babies are created and many had no prior knowledge about STIs, including HIV/AIDS. They learned how to get rid of an STI from their bodies by taking and finishing the drugs given to them by doctors or nurses . The results from weekly quizzes also indicated that people were not only listening to the programmes but were taking in the information, as most of the questions answered were correct. Men and women learned that it is important to allow the woman's body to grow strong and healthy again before having another child. "Others even thanked Wan Smolbag for producing Famili Blong Serah, and said it is helping them to understand important issues concerning their lives and families".

Men and young boys took a real interest in the topic of family planning after listeneng to the series and were "turning up at clinics to collect condoms before they had sex with their partners or go to night clubs". Not long after health clinic workers encouraged women to tune into a particular episode of Famili Blong Serah they noticed women who were "coming to the clinic for family planning". During a clinic visit, one woman admitted to being an alcoholic who frequents night clubs and has 2 children by different partners. She was now taking the pill after listening to the series and also wanted to take some condoms with her. The feeling around the country was that the Famili Blong Serah series should continue. People interviewed were anxious for more information. "Sometimes they would just gather around a radio close by if they weren't going to get home in time to listen to Famili blong Serah".

Some adults had difficulty in coming to terms with the fact that their children were having pre-marital sex, even with the knowledge that they too had pre-marital sex. Denial produced daughters with children born out of wedlock and, over time, it was agreed that condoms were a necessary preventative method for unwanted birth control. Some of the women who already had many children felt that it was too late for them to use birth control but realized that it was not too late for their daughters. Many young people felt that some of the questions asked during discussion groups were too sensitive for them and they were unable to answer. The general feeling among community members was one of recognition that something had to be done to control the increase of STIs and keep their youth healthy and free of unwanted pregnancies.

Four focus groups were held on the islands of Loh, Toga and Tekua in the Torres Group. Questions asked of the focus groups instigated a great deal of discussion, particularly amongst married men and women's focus groups. It was noted that the men spent 5-10 minutes discussing a single question. "...men were interested to discuss questions on the series and on the issues on family planning, STI's, teenage pregnancies, HIV/AIDS, domestic violence and population growth". In church, elderly people were speaking out against giving condoms to unmarried people but further discussion at a later meeting brought the truth to light; that many of the church-goers also had sex before they were married.