The intention

Setting up an SMS service via an HIV/AIDS awareness quiz in Uganda had never been attempted. In 2007 the mobile telephony penetration was not yet at the current level, which caused many organizations to question the success of this plan. 1 organization was keen to start the newly founded organization Text to Change to give people more HIV/AIDS knowledge via their mobile phone and to refer them to their testing facilities in order to create an increase in the number of people tested.

The approach

All lessons learned in the use of ICT in emerging markets were used.
The SMS software was developed locally;
The content of the SMS quiz questions were created by a local NGO and tested at the Ministry of Health;
Local languages were put in the SMS system.
The local NGO was the leading party, many meetings were planned and everything was financially 100% in tune.

In short: nothing could go wrong on the grandly planned launch of this innovative mobile service in Southwest Uganda.

The result

On the morning of the launch, TTC got the code 666 assigned, number of the Antichrist, the devil. All involved (Christian) parties wanted to stop the program immediately. After a lot of hassle it became 777.

Before we could celebrate the good results after the 6 week-long program, namely an increase of 40% in the number of clinic visits among people with HIV/AIDS, was there the day of the launch: 14 February 2008.
Technical, financially and substantively everything was right, except for the sms code we would get from the Ugandan government that day. Space was left on the posters for this last minute code that had to arrange all text traffic. On the morning of the launch we received code 666 which ensured that all our partners, Christian and non-Christian wanted to stop the program immediately because 666 the ultimate unlucky number is as biblical number of the Antichrist, the devil. While the mayor gave his blessing for hours because he didn't know anything yet, we were only concerned with changing 666 in 777 and sticking new stickers on 200 posters when that was successful after many phone calls.

The lessons

No matter how well prepared you are, pitfalls can hide in unexpected corners.

Keeping an eye on the ball is what this is called in football terms, we were so focused on all external factors that we forgot to check our own sms code…
So never forget to look at all the factors, also factors that you cannot think of in advance, so consult more with all parties before you start, also with the Ugandan Communications Commission…

Shortcode 777 after half a year we exchanged it for 8181 and 8282 with which we are still active in Uganda and enabling our expansion into Tanzania, Kenya, Madagascar, Bolivia and Namibia launched. In the meantime we work with 5 people full-time on mobile telephony programs in the field of health care, education and economic development.

Further:
explanation IvBM:
Sometimes you think you have everything under control….
Beautiful objective, responding well to the situation and developments in Africa: HIV/AIDS is a harsh reality and mobile telephony is booming in Africa.

Submitting this case requires quite a bit of guts because Text to Change specializes in mobile telephony but did not take this belief/cultural factor into account.

Author: Hajo van Beijma & Editors Brilliant Failures

LEAVE COMMENTS