Adesua Etomi, Emmanuel Ikubese returns in 5th season of MTV Shuga
…As MTV Base marks World Aids day with cast reveal(Pics: Adesua Etomi)
Emmanuel Ikubese and Adesua Etomi are joined by Vanessa Mdee, Thuso Mbedu, Mohau Mokoatle Cele, Jezriel Skei, Nick Mutuma as part of the talented ensemble cast for the upcoming fifth series of MTV Shuga.
Produced by the MTV Staying Alive Foundation and MTV Base, MTV Shuga, an award-winning ”edutainment” drama that has been proven to actively change behaviour relating to HIV prevention, is going into production in Johannesburg, South Africa in December, turning its lens on the issues of sexual and reproductive health among teenagers and young women in the region.
Having successfully highlighted issues affecting young people in Kenya and Nigeria for nearly a decade, MTV Shuga is using powerful contemporary storylines and relatable characters to disseminate public health messages targeted squarely at South African youth, with a particular focus on adolescent girls and their vulnerability to HIV infection and unintended pregnancy. Crowded with interweaving stories of heartbreak, love, betrayal and difficult decisions among contemporary South African youth, MTV Shuga is supported by South Africa’s Department of Basic Education, PEPFAR (The U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief), Marie Stopes International, ViiV Healthcare’s Positive Action MSM & Transgender Programme, CIFF (Children’s Investment Fund Foundation) and FHI 360 (Family Health International).
The news follows a recent report from UNAIDS which demonstrates that the years between 15 and 24 are the most dangerous time for young women when it comes to HIV infection. Globally, in 2015, around 7,500 young women became newly infected with HIV every week and in southern Africa, girls aged between 15 and 19 years accounted for 90 percent of all new HIV infections among 10–19-year-olds.