Tribes

This entertainment-education campaign revolved around a television drama designed to engage youth in characters such as an upcoming DJ, who is juggling dealing with his seductive girlfriend and getting the opportunity of his career...while learning the results of an HIV test...and Maxine, who catches her younger sister Trisha in a compromising position with an older man. There was also a behind-the-scenes programme that included exclusive interviews with the cast and crew, in order to delve deeper into the plot's conveyed messages. The three 22-minute episodes, as well as the behind-the-scenes video clips, can be downloaded on the MTV Ignite website.

In addition, an on-the-ground street team of 6 young people worked alongside the production to disseminate HIV/AIDS messaging to their peers in what, it was hoped, would be an accessible way. The team wrote articles, describing realistic challenges facing Trinidadian youth. Over 80 articles were posted on the Ignite blog, and around 3,000 page views happened over the campaign period (June to December). Facebook was also used to promote the drama during the pre-production and production phase, as well as around World AIDS Day.

Two training sessions were held to strengthen in-country capacities. The first was held in Port of Spain for 15 TV producers. The second involved 26 peer educators, and focused on Staying Alive in a Box, a free educational toolkit for peer education that accompanies the dramas.

The campaign produced and distributed marketing materials, including 100 T-shirts and bags, and 4,000 branded condoms.

HIV/AIDS, Youth

Launched in 1998, Staying Alive is a multimedia global HIV and AIDS prevention campaign that challenges stigma and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS as well as empowers young people to protect themselves from infection. The Emmy-award-winning campaign consists of documentaries, public service announcements, youth forums, and web content. Staying Alive provides all its television programming rights-free and at no cost to third-party broadcasters globally in order to get prevention messages out to the widest possible audience.