Proof of Concept in Rwanda
In September 2024, we launched our Proof of Concept study in Rwanda. From September to March, we researched, produced, evaluated, and broadcast our first six-episode radio drama. Each 20-minute episode was designed to entertain while promoting positive behavior change.​​​
The first season of Twubakane
Twubakane (“Let's build together”) is a radio drama that follows Kazimiri and Jeanine as they raise their family and navigate the challenges of making decisions together. With the support of friends and advisors, they explore themes such as communication, respect, equality—and how to respond to domestic violence.
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At the heart of the drama is Kazimiri’s transformation. As a transitional character, he gradually changes how he makes decisions at home and takes responsibility for his past use of domestic abuse. His journey is grounded in formative research, which identified the most promising mechanisms of change—such as evolving views on gender equality, improved communication, and shared decision-making—that motivate his shift towards a healthier relationship.
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A four-step process
To design a season, we first research and iterate with the audience, and then broadcast and evaluate. Read more below on how we did it in 2024 for our first season.
1. FORMATIVE RESEARCH
This step included in-depth interviews and focus groups, designed to inform both the storylines and the most effective mechanism of change for the transitional character in the radio drama.
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Read about the findings.
2. ITERATIVE SCRIPTWRITING
A team of scriptwriters developed different storylines, which were reviewed by experts and government officials. Three mechanisms of change were then A/B tested with focus groups to identify the most promising storyline.
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Read about the A/B test.
3. QUALITATIVE EVALUATION
Once produced, the 6 episodes were played to an audience of dozens of couples. Post interviews were then conducted to assess changes in beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. Additionally, focus groups helped evaluate the quality of the scripts and storylines.
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Read about the results.
4. BROADCASTING
As no concerns arose from the evaluation (risk of backlash, for example), the content was aired on a community radio, and a survey was conducted with listeners to measure audience and engagement.
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Promising results
Couples who listened to the drama reported increased gender equity, stronger communication, and healthier relationships.
In particular, a baseline-endline study with 200 couples (60 in the control group) found a 40% relative decline in violence reported by women. (Note that the study was designed as a pilot, with limited statistical power, thus results should be interpreted as suggestive of potential impact rather than definitive evidence).
Key findings from our quantitative and qualitative evaluations:
1. Decrease in physical or sexual violence: 6 percentage points (pp) reduction in prevalence, equal to a 40% relative decline
2. Increased gender equality: in interviews, most men reported having changed and sharing more decisions at home. The study showed a +15pp increase in women involvement in financial decisions regarding their spouse’s earnings.
“Before, she knew that even if we discussed something, I would make the final decision if we didn’t agree.” (male participant)
3. Stronger relationships: almost all participants in our qualitative interviews reported relationship improvements, especially better communication. The study found an increase in relationship quality, with improvements in empathy and honesty.
“There are things we now discuss that we didn’t talk about before because we now make time to understand each other better.” (male participant)
4. Increased willingness to seek help: the study found a 11pp drop in acceptance of wife-beating, and in interviews, most female participants reported increased willingness to seek help
“Before, I thought if someone mistreated me, I would make a scene and run back to my family. But now, I feel motivated to handle it the way Jeanine did.” (female participant)
Explore our results:
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Explore the key findings from our qualitative research in the infographic below, or dive deeper in our full evaluation report.
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