Step 2: Understand Your Audience
To provide the necessary support, you need a clear, detailed understanding of the communities you serve and the factors that influence malaria control and prevention in those communities. Reference the Situational Analysis section for more guidance on questions to ask to understand these issues best.
Think of the members/beneficiaries your organization serves and brainstorm groups that might practice or influence malaria behaviors (examples: rural mothers of children under five, male heads of household in peri-urban communities, urban adolescents).
Key Audience Table Example:
Example Key | Describe the Characteristics of the Members | Effect of Malaria on this Group | Does your organization have a unique ability to reach and influence this audience? | Can They Make Decisions About Whether to Adopt Positive Malaria Behaviors? |
Pregnant women | 16–40 years old, married or in a domestic partnership, elementary education level | High | N/A | Yes, but much easier when their partner supports the decision |
Mothers and fathers of children under five years old | 16-60 years old, married, local sellers, low income, lives within 3 kms of a facility | High | N/A | Yes |
School Children | Students 6-20 years old attending day school, who sleep at home every night | High | N/A | Sometimes |
Grandmothers | Retired or not working outside the home, older and more traditional, gives lots of advice to new mothers and cares for small children when their mother is unavailable | Medium | N/A | Yes |
Unmarried youth | Young men and women 18-35 years old, some education, employed in an entry level job, spends time with friends for fun | Medium | N/A | Yes |
Blank Key Audience Table: Word – (EN | FR | PT )
Blank Key Audience Table: PDF – (EN | FR | PT )
Select a group to be your target audience (examples above). An ideal group is one that malaria significantly impacts and can either perform the desired behavior or has the power to facilitate someone else’s behavior. Your organization also must have a unique ability to reach and influence this group. The resource “How to Conduct an Audience Analysis” is excellent to use when looking more closely at your audiences.
