Description of Session
The presentation during the panel discussion will showcase Tuneme.org. UNFPA through its flagship youth programme called “Safeguard Young People” (SYP) in collaboration with Praekelt Foundation, Ford Foundation and DFID developed and rolled out Tune Me, a mobile site (mobisite) designed for low- and high-end devices in environments where high data charges and poor network coverage combine to limit access to online services. Through social features and content designed to engage users rather than lecture, Tune Me aims to equip adolescents with the information and motivation they need to make better choices. Adolescents access Tune Me through the internet browser on their mobile phone or through Facebook’s Internet.org platform. The Tune Me site is also available on Free Basics which allows any young person with a mobile phone to access the platform without the limitation of data or wifi connectivity. TuneMe is live in Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Eswatini and Lesotho. Already more than 200 stories exist on the site, covering subjects as diverse as menstruation and gender-based violence. Adapted from a global standard in sexuality education content, the stories are adapted and translated for local audiences to ensure relevance and improve engagement. Tune Me’s newest feature finds youth-friendly clinics by geo-location, including feedback mechanisms to track quality of care. Since December 2015, Tune Me has carried out 219 Facebook campaigns, one radio campaign, and many mobile web banner campaigns. The Facebook page has had over 1 million 300 thousand unique users, over 50 million impressions, over 60,000 likes and more than 345,000 clicks. The majority of fans are 18-24 years old. With more than 1 million unique users on the site and 7750 registered users, Tune Me is well underway to become the ‘to go to’ mobisite for sexual and reproductive health information.
