Soul Buddyz Series 2 is a communication-centred edutainment initiative launched by Soul City. The series used entertaining media to educate children in the 8-12 year age group on issues such as AIDS (care and support of vulnerable children), substance use, xenophobia, learning disabilities, and the environment. The series consisted of a 26-episode, half-hour television drama, broadcast at children’s prime time on SABC1 between October 2002 and April 2003. The accompanying Soul Buddyz radio magazine programme was broadcast in 9 languages weekly from July to December 2003.

Two out of three children interviewed (81%) had heard of Soul Buddyz 2; 2 out of 3 children interviewed (67%) watched, listened to, and/or used Soul Buddyz material on television, radio, or the Grade 7 booklet. Specifically, 65.8% of children watched Soul Buddyz on television; 30.1%; listened to the programme on the radio; and 28% of children in Grade 7 had read the Grade 7 booklet. Although there was a difference in access to Soul Buddyz 2 television by area (urban 71% and rural 52%), there was no difference in access to Soul Buddyz 2 radio or the grade 7 book by area. Access to Soul Buddyz 2 was similar between girls and boys.

In addition to addressing children, the Soul Buddyz 2 television and radio dramas reached out to parents: 38% of adults watched it on television, and 38% listened to it on radio.

Increased Discussion of Development Issues:

There was an increase in the percentage of children who had ever talked about HIV or AIDS from 57% to 70%. High exposure to Soul Buddyz increased the likelihood of having talked by 51%. Sixty-six percent of children with high access to Soul Buddyz radio sometimes talked to someone about death or dying, while only 37% of those who did not listen to Soul Buddyz radio did.

Fifty percent of children who had high access to Soul Buddyz had talked about the environment to someone, while only 33% of those with low access had done so.

• 86% of children with high exposure to Soul Buddyz multimedia said that they know what AIDS is while only 60% of those with no exposure said they knew.
• 68% of children exposed to Soul Buddyz print materials said that a person with HIV can look healthy, while 49% of those with no exposure agreed.
• There was an increase from 32% to 43% in those saying that abstaining from sex can prevent one from getting infected with HIV. This was associated with Soul Buddyz 2.
• There was an increase from 49% to 57% of children who knew that you can prevent getting infected with HIV by always using a condom. This was also associated with Soul Buddyz TV.

77% of children with high access to Soul Buddyz television agreed that “I have a role to play in protecting the environment”, whereas only 66% of those with no access to Soul Buddyz agreed with the statement. There was an 31% increase in likelihood to agree that “people must reuse or recycle things like glass or paper” from before Soul Buddyz to after Soul Buddyz.

Children were more willing to befriend someone with a different colour skin after watching Soul Buddyz (83% to 88.5%) and this was associated with Soul Buddyz television. 88% of children with high Soul Buddyz television access agreed that they are willing to be friends with a child with another skin colour while only 70% of children with no Soul Buddyz television exposure agreed.