BACKGROUND:
In Tanzania, stigma presents a persistent barrier to HIV care and treatment adherence. The Ministry of Health in Collaboration with The USAID Afya Yangu (My Health) Northern project adopted a human-centered design (HCD) approach to develop social behavioral change tools. These tools aimed to promote empathy, reduce stigma, and encourage open communication about HIV within families and communities. Description The project began with extensive evidence gathering and immersion interviews with 70 participants, including people living with HIV (PLHIV) and healthcare providers. Two co-creation workshops engaging 40 stakeholders lead to the development of two key storytelling tools: Tara Atabasamu Tena Storybook: A child-friendly narrative featuring Tara, a personified river, designed to explain HIV testing and ART adherence through relatable characters, vibrant illustrations, and story. Njoo Tusemezane Game: A family-oriented game designed to facilitate conversations about HIV stigma and cultural barriers, fostering mutual understanding and openness. These tools were tested with children, families, and healthcare providers across rural and urban settings, to iterate them further for cultural context. Lessons Learned The Tara storybook successfully engaged children, using culturally resonant narratives and interactive elements like songs to simplify complex HIV concepts. The Njoo Tusemezane game encouraged families to discuss difficult topics, breaking down stigma and fostering inclusiveness. Families reported that the game not only strengthened communication but also inspired reflection on cultural practices and behaviors. Initial difficulties in understanding the game format highlighted the importance of facilitation during early rollout. These interventions highlighted storytelling’s ability to create inclusive, empathetic spaces for dialogue, leveraging cultural traditions to address sensitive topics and empower participants. Conclusions/Next Steps By integrating cultural narratives and interactive elements, storytelling tools promote inclusiveness and openness in HIV communication. Future implementations should focus on context-specific adaptations and support mechanisms to sustain engagement and dialogue across diverse settings.