SocialTxt

Background

Across the globe, mobile phone technologies are proving to be a key tool for those working for social change. Africa is cited as the fastest growing mobile phone network in the world and South Africa in particular has mobile phones in the hands of over 80% of the population.

Further studies are beginning to demonstrate the positive impact that mobile phones can have on economic development and social capital. Within the health sector, studies are beginning to indicate that mobile phone technologies are enabling greater efficiency and access to services. Mobile phones are continuing to spread across the continent in unanticipated ways.

About SocialTxt

SocialTxt is a mobile messaging platform that uses the available advertising space on 'please call me' (PCM) messages, to communicate selected information to a specific target audience.  In the South African society where more than 80% of the population has access to a mobile phone, SocialTxt therefore offers a unique medium that allows direct communication with over 39 Million South Africans.

Objectives

Current marketing and media tools used by nonprofit organizations to communicate to their intended beneficiaries or supporters audience, is limited to radio, television, print and word of mouth. These forms of communications bear no guarantee of reaching the end user or intended benficiary. Through use of the PCM advertising space, SocialTxt's objective is to give non-profit organizations the ability to reach a potential 900,000 individuals in South Africa per day with essential information aligned towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).  South Africans currently send a total of 30 Million PCM messages per day accross all three mobile network operators (Vodacom, Cell C, MTN), with clients allowed to send a maximum of 8 PCMs per day - free of charge. The objective therefore is to use this tool for mass messaging which will have a positive social impact.

Possible Uses

Using data-driven monitoring, SocialTxt works closely with any type of partner to create and deliver effective messages that will significantly enhance access to information and services on a massive scale.

Partners

1. National HIV/AIDS Call Centers

In a six week pilot project where Vodacom donated advertising space on PCM messages to Praekelt Foundation, we partnered with South Africa's National AIDS Helpline and HIV911 (two national HIV/AIDS- call centres) in order to promote access to HIV counseling and services across the country. The National AIDS helpline is a crisis helpline offering counseling, information and referral services. Funded by the National Department of Health and managed by Lifeline, the helpline is active 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. HIV911 manages a national database and offers referral to HIV services across the country.  Click here to learn more about the work of the National Aids Helpline and HIV911.

Results: National Aids Helpline

SocialTxt used “please call me” advertising space to advertise the AIDS helpline number.
This campaign ran for 20 days, approximately 20 Million PCMs with the AIDS helpline number were sent and received during this time. At the start of the pilot, Lifeline was receiving approximately 45,000 calls per month. During the campaign, call volumes increased by a massive 350% and the call centre had to work hard to take an additional 1500 calls (over and above what they normally receive) per day.

Results: HIV 911 Helpline

Based at the University of KZN within the HIV and AIDS Network (HIVAN), HIV911 is a nationally recognized database of HIV information and services. At the start of the pilot, HIV911 was receiving less than 10 calls per day. During the pilot more than 23,000 calls were made due to SoxialTxt "please call me"-advertising.  SocialTxt referred 98% of all callers and referrals continued even when SocialTxt was inactive. Further, if the HIV911 sample holds true, we can conservatively estimate that SocialTxt supported more than 9,000 individuals to access HIV services during this campaign.

2. POWA - People Opposing Women Abuse

Additionally, in line with South Africa's Women's Day, SocialTxt partnered with NGO People Opposing Women's Abuse (POWA) in order to promote the 'I Commit'-Campaign to end violence against women in South Africa. Through continuous engagement and information sharing, the campaign aims to equip men and women across South Africa to identify and take appropriate action against women's abuse. SocialTxt's objective in this pilot was to recruit change agents.  Click here to read more about POWA.

Results:  POWA Campaign

During the 5-day campaign PCMs advertised the call to action for people to send an SMS with “I commit” to a dedicated short code.  1,061 Change Agents recruited over 5 days. These Change Agents will continue to be provided with information about how to identify and respond to abuse in their communities. Over the next year, POWA will call on these agents to follow a series of lessons and calls to action that will allow them to appropriately address violence against women.

3. Netcare / Vodacom Cleft Lip Campaign

In 2007 Netcare and Vodacom launched an initiative to provide 50 free cleft lip and palate surgeries to children otherwise unable to afford it. The objective of the campaign was to identify eligible children by encouraging individuals to phone the Netcare call centre.

Results:  Netcare / Vodacom Cleft Lip Campaign

At the start of the pilot, Netcare had identified less than a handful of children. SocialTxt ran a 5-day campaign including a toll-free hotline and an SMS information channel. This campaign generated over 500 inquiries and identified 42 children eligible for surgery.

4. Khomanani Zithande Campaign

Initiated on World AIDS Day, Khomanani, the government HIV communications organization, launched its "Zithande campaign" to spread the message that “the only thing that spreads faster than HIV is a positive attitude”. At the launch of the campaign, Khomanani was only using radio and TV campaigns with no indication of how many South African’s it was reaching...

Results: Khomanani Zithande Campaign

This campaign ran for 1 month at the end of 2007, the message was sent on over 30 million PCMs. There were nearly 50,000 additional calls to the AIDS helpline per day.  This was an 80% increase in call volumes of people accessing HIV-information and services.