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How Zimbabwe’s hairdressers are cutting HIV infection

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Condoms are a huge success story in Zimbabwe. 900,000 female condoms were sold in 2005 alone, the highest sales per capita in the world.

But you might be surprised to know that more than 50% of these were distributed through a network of 500 hair salons and 1000 hair dressers trained through a DFID-funded programme.

This network is the result of DFID's partnership with Population Services International (PSI), where hairdressers in low-income areas have been trained to talk with their clients about how to negotiate the use of female condoms with their partners, and to demonstrate how to use them correctly and consistently.

Together, we're helping vulnerable women to get life-saving messages about female condoms.

'Get braids, not AIDS'

Hairdresser shows a client a female condom in her salon outside HarareMaria Tavambirwa (30) is a young hair dresser playing an active role in preventing HIV and AIDS transmission. She does this by promoting the use of the ‘care’ female condom among young women in her salon in Chitungwiza, a town just outside Harare.

Maria is very enthusiastic about the role she is playing in helping women at risk to take the initiative in protecting themselves from HIV infection.

She says; "My clients are mostly young girls from a nearby college who are forced to engage in unprotected sex with older men because of economic pressures.

"They visit the salon on a regular basis and I take this opportunity to talk to them on the benefits of using the female condom while they are having their hair done."

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The hair salon network: How does it work?

Hairdresser demonstrates use female condom to a client in her salon outside Harare Finding innovate ways to reach and influence women is a big part of the driving force behind the hair salon network's success in driving condom sales, and is a key factor in reducing HIV infection rates.

The female condom hair salon programme has hugely influenced the increase in knowledge and demand for the female condom in Zimbabwe, significantly contributing to the 240% increase in sales between 2001 and 2006.

This approach works because hair salons provide the friendly, supportive and safe environment that these women need to be able to discuss personal and sexual issues. Here, they are empowered to overcome the stigma associated with female condoms. That means they feel freer to find out more about the female condom, and to ask as many questions as they like about how to introduce it into their relationships.

The fact is, women are far more likely to become infected with HIV than men (see key facts). This is partly because of physiological differences, but also because women in Zimbabwe – as in many African countries – are often unable to insist on safe sexual practices with partners.

But the hair salon network is helping to lower the risks that women face.

A External link to PDF file, opens in same windowDFID-funded study (PSI 2004, PDF file), conducted among 400 hair salon clients revealed that women who had seen a female condom demonstration by a hairdresser were 2.5 times more likely to use the product than those who had not. Women are also more able to negotiate safe sexual practices with their partners when they have control over a practical means to do so.

The study also showed that clients who have been exposed to discussions with hair dressers and tried using care female condoms were more likely to report increased correct and consistent condom use. This highlights the importance of promoting and selling condoms in a way that allows women to get advice and support at the point of sale.

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What happens next?

Care female condom logo, courtesy of PSIBuilding on the success of the hair salon initiative, in 2006 PSI is now training a network of people living with HIV and AIDS to educate and sell the female condom to their peers at a profit.

This programme is expected to account for 25% of total female condom sales by the end of 2006, compared with 8% in 2005. About 200 more hair dressers are expected to join the network as it expands to other vulnerable, low-income areas in Zimbabwe in 2006.

Increased use of the female condom plays an important role in increasing safer sexual practices among women who continue to be infected at higher rates than men.

Allison Beattie, DFID's Health Advisor in Zimbabwe, said:

"We support initiatives like the hair salon project because it is an innovative part of a long running programme aimed at helping people change their behaviour. Women need practical and realistic options to negotiate safe sex with their partners.

"The female condom is one of these and we are finding that, when distributed in the right environment, the result is increased uptake and use by women. That means fewer HIV infections."


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Key Facts