Using the behaviour centred design approach, the affiliation motive was identified for use in developing the concept. Affiliation is the emotion that promotes investment in membership in groups so as to gain the benefits of group life. Humans are thus motivated to participate in social activities, to form alliances, to conform to group norms, to display our intentions to cooperate, to seek to engender trust, and to share resources, including knowledge about others.

The Komboni Housewives are thus a fictional alliance of six mothers from Lusaka's compounds. They have social permission to meddle in the affairs of other mothers and are thus able to define group norms that other mothers follow. Their profile, numbers, gossip and knowledge about others increases their influence and mothers from the area are therefore eager to be affiliated with them. They assume mothers don't know as much as they themselves do on matters of handwashing, preparation of ORS, the use of zinc and on exclusive breastfeeding, but are often wrong. However they are quick to recognise their mistakes and accept into their group, mothers who demonstrate correct behaviours.

A fuller description, theory of change model and implementation plan is available in the campaign manual.

Overview of the campaign

The Komboni Housewives are presented to the community through:

1.  Community-based women’s forums – A series of meetings organised within the community in the intervention areas. The meetings, which were convened by the Komboni Housewives, invited about 20 new mothers to participate in various skits about the targeted behaviours.

2.  The Circle of Mothers clinic sessions – Meetings where new mothers who have come to the clinic because their babies have diarrhoea, were invited to discussions and demonstrations by health workers that were related to the use of zinc and ORS and to promote the other target behaviours. As an incentive for participating, mothers were entered into a weekly prize draw, which rolled into a monthly draw.

3.  Community-based roadshows– Eight community based events held at shopping centres which used music and other entertainment to attract about 200 participants including new mothers and young people. Skits by the Komboni Housewives reinforced the correct behaviours.

4.  Radio adverts & associated call-in programmes – Thirty minute radio programmes on selected radio stations which contained a call in session from the Komboni Housewives who were simultaneously convening Community-based women’s forums, and the hostess of the forum. The programme was targeted at mothers similar to those who attended forums.

More detail on these events can be found on our resources page.