Project information
| Status | Finalist |
| Category | Health Health promotion |
| Country | Mexico |
| Operational areas | Rural |
| Target groups | Women, Men |
| Fixed connection | IDSN |
| Wireless connection | GSM N/A |
| Interact | , Cellphone, Laptop |
| Software License Types | Proprietary |
Project location
Random images Challenge 2008
Project Zumbido
- Brief description
- Pilot project Zumbido created support groups for those living in urban and rural areas of Mexico, using a mobile phone technology that enabled a simulatneous communication between all ten group members in each of the four support groups.
- Vision, Objectives and Goals
- Drug treatments are proving to have a considerable effect in terms of helping to prolong and improve the quality of life of those living with HIV/AIDS. The challenge that many countries like Mexico are now facing, is how to provide the right access to support systems for those living with HIV/AIDS, in particular for those living in remote rural areas. Those living with HIV/AIDS in rural areas face particular challenges in relation to discrimination and isolation. In addition they often have to travel long distances into the cities to get access to their free medication and for many this has considerable financial implications. The objective of Zumbido is to help improve the quality of life of those living with HIV/AIDS particularly focusing on the following areas:Emotional supportMedical treatmentAccess to services Drug treatments are proving to have a considerable effect in terms of helping to prolong and improve the quality of life of those living with HIV/AIDS. The challenge that many countries like Mexico are now facing, is how to provide the right access to support systems for those living with HIV/AIDS, in particular for those living in remote rural areas. Those living with HIV/AIDS in rural areas face particular challenges in relation to discrimination and isolation. In addition they often have to travel long distances into the cities to get access to their free medication and for many this has considerable financial implications. The objective of Zumbido is to help improve the quality of life of those living with HIV/AIDS particularly focusing on the following areas:Emotional supportMedical treatmentAccess to services
- How does ICT contribute to the organisational objectives
- The mobile phone has had the following benefits in respect to creating the kind of support groups that those taking part wanted: • Accessible – wherever the participants were, whether they were in a rural area or urban they could be in contact with their group. Unlike a conventional support group where particularly those in rural areas had to travel long distances to have access to a group. •Immediate- using the mobile phone meant the participants could be in contact with their group whenever they felt the need for advice or support e.g. on the bus on the way to the hospital and feeling nervous about their appointment. • Intimate- the participants had not met each other before taking part in the project, but yet very quickly started to communicate about very personal issues by SMS and voice. The benefit of the mobile phone was that due to high levels of discrimination, they could communicate with others who were not in the same locality as them and not fear that this information was going to be disclosed to others in their area.
- Transferability
- It could also involve government departments, but it is not dependent on it.
- Project summary
- The pilot project has recently come to an end. The results have shown that there is huge potential going forward in terms of helping to improve the quality of life of those living with HIV/AIDS, particlarly reaching out to those in rural areas by simply connecting those affected by the condtion in the right way. Something very unique about Zumbido was that we used a technology that enabled a communication that was simulatneous, wether it be by text message or voice. This immediatley created a sense of being and taking part of in group. Project Zumbido showed how they were many positive outcomes for those taking part, such as deciding to take their medication again, or getting over the fear of seeing their doctor with very little impact on human resouces. We are currently looking for funding to roll out Zumbido on a much larger scale in Mexico or other parts of the world.
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