MTV Shuga Down South, a television drama series that speaks about sexual health, and has unearthed many internationally renowned talents, is back for season three.
With Thuso Mbedu and Lupita Nyong’o being the former stars on the show, the multi-award-winning drama series is also on a quest to find fresh talent and has since extended the auditions for acting hopefuls to the 21 November 2022.
According to Tshireletso Diogo, Country Director at MTV Staying Alive Foundation, the third season is inspired by the formative research findings from the Centre for Aids Development Research and Evaluation (CADRE).
“MTV Shuga is fictional, but the storylines are based on the real lives of young people. Through relatable characters we are able to signpost innovative health products and services, empowering our audiences to make informed choices about their sexual lives and overall well-being. All this is possible through our partnerships,” said Diogo.
Meanwhile, Dr Philippe Duneton, Executive Director of Unitaid said the show was associated with increased awareness of HIV self-testing, with 60% of those exposed expressing knowledge of the method and 29% having used a self-test.
“New products like long-acting injectable HIV prevention or simple to use tools like self-tests have the potential to transform services for people at-risk of or living with HIV, but access is only one half of the solution.
Unitaid is proud to fund MTV Shuga’s critical work that reaches young people with vital information and empowers them to take charge of their health.”
The last season of MTV Shuga Down South 2 was independently evaluated by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
“Findings showed that, amongst online participants in the Eastern Cape across rural and urban settings, knowledge of HIV status was higher among those exposed to the show (71%) vs those who were not (39%). The show was also associated with increased awareness of HIV self-testing, with 60% of those exposed expressing knowledge of the method and 29% having used a self-test.”
Auditions are open until the 15th of November. Don't miss out on this opportunity to join the cast of MTV Shuga Down South
Visit https://t.co/sO1cYCyW5y to audition@UNITAID #MTV #MTVShugaDownSouth #MTVSDSSeason3 #MTVShugaDS3 #ShugaDownSouth #ShugaDS3Auditions pic.twitter.com/Zm9ZHohPwP— MTV Shuga: Down South (@MTVShugaDS) November 7, 2022
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