ABT Associates – Hygiene and COVID-19 eAwareness

In 2021, Boomcast, in collaboration with ABT Associates, implemented a six-month voice messaging campaign to promote hygiene and COVID-19 awareness in underserved rural communities of northern and western Bangladesh. The campaign delivered weekly voice calls in Bangla and local dialects to 13,000 mobile users, with each message lasting 40 to 60 seconds and focused on handwashing, safe water handling, and COVID-19 symptom awareness and myth-busting.

Messages were strategically scheduled for Friday and Saturday mornings and evenings, based on behavioral insights identifying them as peak listening periods in rural households. Boomcast’s automated, cloud-based voice broadcasting system ensured wide and consistent outreach. Real-time analytics tracked delivery rates, pickup and listen-through percentages, and optimal engagement times. Field feedback indicated improved hygiene practices, especially among children and elderly, and strong support from community and religious leaders, demonstrating the effectiveness of voice-based communication in public health awareness among digitally marginalized populations.