“South Africa is a hotbed of mobile social innovation. From a depression-and-anxiety group helping teens via SMS, to assisting with compliance for tuberculosis medication, and the ‘cellphones for HIV‘ programme we have described earlier, diverse health initiatives are findings ways of using mobile phones.” – MobileActive.org

(South) Africa is in that peculiar situation where our mobile uptake outranks every other communications medium available today. Figures vary between 75% penetration rates to about 90%.

It is therefore not surprising and rather pleasing to see various healthcare organizations realizing the value communication via the mobile phone could add to their service offering. It is been long overdue and I predict a massive flux of mobile oriented campaigns for 2009, especially in the healthcare industry.

From a device called SIMpill (see the play on the word simple), sending text messages to users as reminder to take critical medication, monitoring and tracking in real time to Cell-Life’s “Cellphones for HIV” project, collaborating with various institutes to provide a lower cost service to people suffering from this dreaded disease, we should see the awareness around our health and the betterment of our lives drastically improve through the integration of mobile and online.

The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) has launched a text message initiative especially developed for teens as many of them are reluctant to speak about the problems they experience, and this way they are able to anonymously communicate a cry for help to SADAG.

From their press release: “This service is a new and exciting way for teenagers around South Africa to reach out for help. Teenagers often prefer to communicate via sms, as they may feel uncomfortable expressing themselves verbally. This service is also instant, and a teen in crisis will never get a busy signal when he or she is in crisis. This service is also cheaper than a telephone call, as messages are charged at standard sms rates. In this way, teenagers around the country can get help, information, and practical advice on how to deal with depression and suicidal feelings. The teens can also request school talks and find mental health resources in their area.”

Unfortunately it seems that there was no outreach programme for this particular service, so no matter how effective the idea, if the execution lacks, the campaign falls flat on its face. I don’t believe teens will consciously search the net for help. They are afraid, reluctant and shy by nature and their problems worsen this feeling.

It is therefore critical to devise campaigns that deliver this initiative to them. There are social elements that cater for every teenager’s individual needs, Mxitand Facebook only but two of them. These channels should be embraced. Schools, public services and community outreach programmes should actively market this initiative as well.

While I believe this specific campaign has been around for a while and probably idling in the background, you can look forward to better execution and marketing of healthcare mobile services in 2009. Hopefully, including SADAG’s.

Important Update: Arrogance sometimes has its upside. I haven’t done my research on SADAG well enough, and subsequently received a phone call from the founder of SADAG, Zane Wilson, who has delightfully informed me on the astounding efforts they do to spread the message of their teenage text campaign. They visit a lot of schools where they give talks, hand out flyers and have appeared on various radio stations and television shows as well.

They also advertise in a variety of magazines, and while not necessarily addressing people through the media of my choice, their efforts certainly outperforms my wildest imagination. I apologise.

I have discussed where my expertise might complement their efforts though and I’m very happy to assist them in spreading the word through the media I specialise in. I look forward to everyone that’s ever been touched by this disease to help where they can. Leave a comment if you desire more information.

I struck a rather startling epiphany on New Year’s eve when I embarked on my annual ritual of sending celebratory text messages to almost my entire contact list on my phone. It has been documented ad infinitum that South Africa boasts with one of the most impressive mobile penetration rates in the world, with roughly 90% mobile phones held among the 49 million South Africans.

I was running a hypothesis through my mind at the time and while my numbers may be profoundly inaccurate, I believe that the crux of the idea is still a viable one to document.

What struck me as devastatingly obvious is that between the three major cellular networks, Vodacom, Cell C and MTN, their collective potential to aid to social responsibility in South Africa is ridiculously easy.

Assuming that every single mobile phone owner sends at least one text message during the period from December 24 to January 01, a long shot I know (but then, many of us send more than 20), and averaging the cost of a single text message at 30 cents, if the three cellular networks donated only three cents (3 cents for crying out loud) to charity, a respectable R 179 100 would have made it to people in dire need during the festive season.

Also assuming that half the mobile enabled population of South Africa sends at least one MMS message (cost thumbed at R 1.50) during the same time, with Vodacom, MTN and Cell C donating only 20 cents per MMS to charity, another respectable R 661 500 would have filled the coffers of charities in need.

Add a couple of cents for each call made, every e-mail sent and kilobytes browsed on smart phones and you’ll find yourself a handsome amount.

You see, large corporations have the advantage of numbers. And with very little effort, and undoubtedly an enormous boost in revenue during the festive season, that little effort each year could profoundly change the face of a third world country.

My hypothesis is a simple one, but with numbers like these and about half and hour for any able brained person, the benefits could be staggering.

Time to put on our thinking caps and for large corporations to join in on the responsibility we have toward the less fortunate.