On June 24, 2009, the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GBC) presented their 2009 Business Excellence Awards to eight standard-setting companies, including Warner Bros., for their innovative programs working to combat global disease.
In partnership with the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), Warner Bros. applied its core competence to develop an action-based videogame pilot that is delivering targeted HIV prevention messages to East African youth.
The videogame combines traditional game play with messages aimed at changing behavior, focusing on five key behaviors that can reduce HIV infections among youth: delaying the onset of sexual activity, abstinence, avoiding multiple sex partners, correct and consistent condom use, and uptake of voluntary counseling and testing services. The pilot game is called "Pamoja Mtaani," which is Swahili for "Together in the Hood."
The game development is part of The Partnership for an HIV-Free Generation, a public-private partnership among PEPFAR and businesses with critical core competencies such as messaging, new technologies and market research.
"The way to get the job done is for everyone to work together. The fight against HIV/AIDS, TB, and malaria cannot be won without the corporate sector stepping up and playing an active role — and these award winners are doing exactly the kind of thing that all companies can and should do. They don't just talk, they take action. And their action saves lives," said John Tedstrom, GBC's President and CEO.
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