Vulnerable girls X International AIDS Conference

The International AIDS conference is just around the corner and MTV Shuga will be at the heart of it.

As delegates descend on Durban from the 18-22 July, the MTV Staying Alive Foundation, Viacom International Media Network (VIMN) Africa and MTV Base (DStv channel 322) are staging a special satellite event based around HIV and AIDS drama MTV Shuga.

The highly anticipated fifth series of MTV Shuga, (to be set and filmed in South Africa), will highlight the issue of adolescent girls, and their vulnerability towards HIV infection, and unintended pregnancy.

MTV Shuga will take over the Dennis Healey Centre in Cathedral Road, Durban on Sunday 17 July for an afternoon of outreach activities targeted at adolescents from the local community. Activities will include a screening of MTV Shuga season 4 for Durban teens, and a Q&A with MTV Base VJ Sizwe Dhlomo and actress Mohau Mokoatle Cele, who plays the role of “Bongi” in the MTV Shuga TV series.

The day will be rounded out with a panel discussion on findings of a recent poll focusing on adolescent girls by Dr Jim Lees of the University of Western Cape HIV & AIDS programme. The study explores the social impact MTV Shuga has had on behaviour and attitudes towards safe sex among South African adolescent girls (15-19 years old), among whom HIV prevalence is up to 8 times higher than adolescent males.

Follow all the action from the day using #MTVShugaSALaunch. And follow us on Instagram at www.instagram.com/mtvshuga/ or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mtvshuga.