Soul Buddyz 3 - South Africa

The Soul Buddyz vehicle consists of five main parts:

• Television
• Radio
• Lifeskills Booklet for Grade 7
• Parenting Booklet
• Soul Buddyz Clubs

By using strong real-life stories that affect children, their parents and their teachers, the series aims to deliver the positive message that all individuals, irrespective of age should, and can, talk about issues. It also aims to break the stereotype that children are incapable of making informed choices and reinforces the message that kids can be active citizens in society.

This series, running in parallel with the Soul Buddyz episodes, will be a new television programme called Buddyz on the Move (BoM). BoM is the an actuality programme developed specifically for children and shows Soul Buddyz Club members’ involvement in their communities. It is a sister programme to Soul Buddyz.

BoM will be presented in a magazine format and is linked to the weekly Soul Buddyz drama broadcast through the focus issues such as nutrition, HIV/AIDS and money management. Issues which are dealt with in the drama series would be highlighted in an episode broadcast Saturday morning in BoM. Viewers will see how real children are coping with these issues. The programme is anchored by two well known Buddyz actors and ordinary children provide the content for the programme.

Children, health, disability, nutrition, HIV/AIDS, rights, conflict resolution, sexuality.

Media and materials have been or will be piloted for feedback. All the issues dealt with are clearly framed within the South African Constitution and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Previous to the Soul Buddyz projects, Soul City has successfully reached and impacted on people 12 years and older.

The Soul Buddyz project was launched in 1999, building on the successful multimedia strategy of the Soul City series. While the Soul City series is popular with all ages, its messages were not designed specifically for a very young audience, particularly 8 to 12 -year-olds. Soul Buddyz has been developed specifically with this age group in mind because attitudes are often formed during this critical time and yet, in the context of a rapidly transforming society with technological changes as well as social changes, the needs and aspirations of children between the ages of 8-12 years old are often neglected. Emotional and health problems often originate or become embedded in this age group, with social problems such as physical and sexual abuse severely retarding the potential of many children.