Shuga: Love, Sex, Money Radio Drama

Shuga: Love, Sex, Money follows 19 year old Sofia as she moves out of her family home to a big town to be with her musician boyfriend, Fally. Other characters include Sofia's cousin Amina, 17, smooth-talking risk-taker Karis, 20, and a successful business woman and 'sugar mommy' Riziki. The Shuga Radio storyline examines a similar range of themes to those in the TV drama including: HIV counselling and testing, condom use in stable relationships, positive prevention, gender inequality and sexual violence, transactional sex, alcohol abuse, and the role of multiple concurrent partnerships in driving the HIV epidemic.

The 12 episodes are followed by two 25-minute pre-recorded magazine shows which further explore the topics covered with young people, experts from the countries, and global and national cooperating partners. The magazine programme is hosted by G-Money, a famous DJ in Kenya. The content and storyline for Shuga Radio were written and created with 30 young people from Cameroon, DR Congo, Kenya, Tanzania, Lesotho and South Africa in a special workshop hosted by Question Media Group with support from MTV and UNICEF.

HIV/AIDS

The first series of Shuga television aired in November 2009, subsequently reaching viewers in 48 countries in sub-Saharan Africa and more than 70 television stations worldwide. Research conducted by Johns Hopkins University/Centre for Communications Programs in Kenya following the airing of Shuga (series I) reported increased intentions for HIV testing, decreased intentions for multiple sex partners, improved attitudes towards people living with HIV and AIDS, and increased usage of accessible health and social services among youth who had watched the series. A second, six part TV series entitled Shuga: Love, Sex, Money premiered in Africa in February 2012. Shuga was recognised in May 2010 at the World Media Festival in Hamburg, Germany, winning a Gold award in the "Public Relations: Health" category.