Suzie and Shafa Show
The Suzie and Shafa Show is a lifestyles variety show created by youth for youth between the ages of 15 and 24. The radio programme airs on the University of Nambia (UNAM) Radio 97.4 FM and can be heard throughout Windhoek. The programmes address different types of lifestyle issues youth face: alcohol and drug abuse, dating, date rape, staying healthy, and avoiding and preventing sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV infection. The aim of the show is to provide youth with the skills and support needed to make healthy choices with regard to lifestyle and behaviour, as well to instil the hope that it is possible to avoid HIV infection.
Communication Strategies
The Suzie and Shafa Show is a partnership between young people and various community organisations which uses communication - through radio - in an effort to create entertaining, provocative, and insightful programmes that reach youth. The format consists of two young hosts, Suzie and Shafa; an ongoing mystery drama; music; quiz questions; testimonials; and a section called "What's Going Down", which highlights an event, restaurant, movie, club, or other activity in which youth can get involved.
Youth participation is a core component of the show; the scriptwriters are students from the University of Namibia (UNAM) and the College of the Arts. The programme addresses the key factors Namibian youth are confronted with today, such as perceptions of risk toward HIV infection and HIV testing. For example, while two-thirds of the youth surveyed said they wanted to be tested for HIV, only about a quarter had ever actually been tested. The Suzie and Shafa Show addresses practical issues such as where to go for HIV testing as well as lifestyle issues related to alcohol and drug use, relationship problems, and sexual habits.
Key Points
The Suzie and Shafa show resulted from research conducted by the UNAM and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) on youth and HIV/AIDS. Four pilot episodes were aired in November 2002, and focus group discussions (FGDs) were held based on these 4 episodes. A knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) study and household survey were also conducted. The content and format of the Suzie and Shafa Show were modified slightly based on the results of this research.
The survey of 15-25 year olds in Greater Windhoek found that 60% believed it was possible that they would be infected with HIV during the next 12 months. Though youth felt fairly confident that they could refuse sex without condoms, the majority also believed that they still could get HIV if they were monogamous (51%) and about one-third of the respondents believed they could still get HIV even if they were abstinent. The majority of Namibian youth believe that they will ultimately get the virus that causes AIDS. This is despite high levels of knowledge and awareness about HIV and AIDS and other health issues.
Partners
The show is developed by youth, in partnership with UNAM, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for Communication Programs (JHUCCP), the Media and Technology Studies (MATS) of the Ministry of Basic Education, Sports and Culture. It is supported by USAID.
Source
Email from Kim Martin of JHUCCP to The Communication Initiative site on February 11 2003.
Placed on the Communication Initiative site July 21 2003
Last Updated September 02 2009
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Here in Malawi we have a radio programme which adresses issues affecting young people. The progamme is called Youth Alert Mix and is aired twice a week on a national radios, Radio 1 and Radio 2. Our main objective is HIV/AIDS prevention among the youths of Malawi. And we help these youths by helping them to delay their first sex debut,and they should try as much as possible to abstain from sex and if they cant they should always use a condom when having sex.My name is Ricky Nyaleye one of the presenters of this massive youth radio programme.
Editor's note: We would like to have information about Youth Alert Mix on the site - please forward us details.