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MTV Shuga - HIV Prevention Drama Series

Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Cote dIvoire (broadcast in 70+ countries), Africa

MTV Shuga is a multi-award-winning African television drama series that promotes sexual and reproductive health among youth through compelling storylines about love, relationships, and HIV. Broadcast in 70+ countries, the series features storylines on HIV testing, PrEP, and prevention. Evaluations show viewers are twice as likely to get HIV tested, twice as likely to know about HIV self-testing and PrEP. Male viewers of Shuga 3 were 21% less likely to justify forced sex or wife beating.

Behavior Goal

Increase HIV testing, promote PrEP awareness and uptake, reduce gender-based violence acceptance, improve sexual and reproductive health knowledge among youth

Implementers & Partners

  • MTV Staying Alive Foundation
  • MTV Base Africa
  • Local Production Partners

Donors & Sponsors

  • PEPFAR
  • Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  • UNICEF
  • Unitaid
  • Elton John Foundation
  • African Governments

Key Takeaways

  • 1Viewers twice as likely to know their HIV status compared to non-viewers
  • 2Dose-response relationship - more exposure equals better outcomes
  • 3Male viewers showed 21% reduction in justifying intimate partner violence
  • 4Multichannel approach includes TV, digital, social media, and community screenings
  • 5Youth-focused content addresses culturally sensitive topics through relatable characters

Sources