MTV International and the MTV Staying Alive Foundation are launching a short-format web series, "MTV Shuga Alone Together," to address social issues during this health crisis.
Actors Ange Éric N'Guessan, Jemima Osunde, Nick Mutuma, Timini Egbuson, as well as actors from Kenya, South Africa, and Nigeria are part of the cast of this new web series filmed in each country, shot as self-portraits, and produced remotely in compliance with lockdown rules.
The web series is a project carried out in partnership with the United Nations' Every Woman Every Child program and Unitaid in support of global health. Divided into 60 parts, the web series will be available online via the various MTV Shuga platforms starting April 21.
Written and directed by producer Tunde Aladese, MTV Shuga Alone Together is a pan-African series designed to raise awareness of the various issues surrounding the health crisis and the different social problems linked to lockdown (domestic violence, isolation, etc.). It will be broadcast entirely on digital channels, which are now so essential for staying informed and maintaining social ties.
Georgia Arnold, Executive Director of the MTV Staying Alive Foundation and Senior Vice President of Social Responsibility for ViacomCBS Networks International,
says: "At MTV Shuga, we have always believed in the power of raising awareness among young people by engaging in discussion about real issues. MTV Shuga Isolated Together continues this trend at a time when informing and raising awareness about COVID-19 is more important than ever. Using popular culture, relatable stories, and talented African actors, we are determined to reinforce the most crucial messages to curb the pandemic." Source: Press release
Read also: Interview with Sara Piot, Deputy Executive Director of the MTV Staying Alive Foundation