TV drama with an Aids message a hit in Africa
SYDNEY, 22 July 2010 – A new TV drama made by MTV and backed by UNICEF is reaching millions of young audiences in Africa with messaging on the importance of HIV testing and debasing the stigma associated with HIV.
Shuga, a three-part drama about the lives of a group of students in Nairobi, Kenya, who play with cars and lovers and above all, risk, this gripping three-part story has been viewed by 60 per cent of Kenyan youth, and is reaching them with important and confronting messages around HIV prevention.
“For many years treatment and prevention of HIV has been directed at adults. It’s young people who are leading the HIV prevention revolution,” says UNICEF Australia Spokesperson, Louise Brockbank. “Shuga marks an important shift towards altering the attitudes of young people through compelling and cutting edge entertainment.”
And it is having results. Over 90 per cent of the Kenyan participants believed the show had an impact on their thinking and almost 50 per cent of viewers talked about the Shuga characters and messages with close friends.
Some 2.9 million 15 to 24 years olds are living with HIV/AIDS in Eastern and Southern Africa, two million of which are women.
Infection still outpaces access to treatment, meaning it is more critical than ever to focus on high impact prevention initiatives.
UNICEF has placed HIV at the heart of its response for children, preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV’ providing paediatric treatment’ preventing infection among adolescents and young people; and protecting and supporting children affected by AIDS.
UNICEF also provides support to healthcare delivery systems in resource-constrained areas and the management of HIV supplies needed by children and their parents.
About UNICEF
UNICEF is on the ground in over 150 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. For more information about UNICEF and its work visit: www.unicef.org
For further information, please contact:
Martha Tattersall, 0421 570 393
mtattersall@unicef.org.au