iLife Radio Drama Series

The 14-episode drama series has been produced in 4 of South Africa's official languages (English, isiZulu, seSotho, and Afrikaans) and is being broadcast on approximately 40 community radio stations across South Africa.

The drama has been developed based on entertainment-education principles, described by ABC Ulwazi as "the process of purposely designing and implementing a media message to both entertain and educate in order to increase audience members' knowledge about an issue, create favourable attitudes, shift social norms, and change the overt behaviour of individuals and communities."

The series takes place in a small peri-urban town called Empilweni. According to ABC Ulwazi, the characters in the drama portray situations and life challenges that are similar to ones experienced by listeners - making it easier for listeners to remember information and recall it when necessary, as well as to apply the information to their own lives and in their own language. Scripts were developed based on qualitative interviews and current research of related themes. The main characters include Dima (the shebeen queen), Slindile (the promiscuous best friend), and Thobi (the loyal adviser friend). Initially, Dima's dilemma is exposed when she discovers her husband of 10 years had been engaging in extra marital relations. This inevitably leads to her discovery of her HIV-positive status.

The main focus of the series is to increase people's awareness and understanding of HIV and AIDS prevention and also to challenge social norms that continue to reinforce the vulnerability of women with regard to HIV/AIDS-related issues. Organisers say that the drama falls in line with the government's HIV and AIDS and STIs [sexually transmitted infections] Strategic Plan for South Africa. It focuses on prevention and on encouraging counselling and testing and is also designed to deliver messages about prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) and the reduction of MCP. Each of the 14 episodes has a specific message theme, highlighting:

• the social, economic, and cultural factors contributing to MCP;
• transactional sex and intergenerational partnerships as factors contributing to MCP;
• partner reduction and correct use of condoms as preventative measures against HIV;
• the importance of getting tested for HIV; and
• possibilities of successful relationships between HIV-negative and HIV-positive partners.

HIV/AIDS, Gender.

According to ABC Ulwazi, young women, people living in informal settlements, and the economically poor are particularly vulnerable to the HIV and AIDS pandemic. ABC Ulwazi was motivated to create this project by evidence showing that radio is the optimal vehicle of communication, as it is widely accessible across the country and can provide information to people in their own language, thus bypassing barriers of illiteracy or levels of education.