Entertainment Education Programs

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Scenarios from the Sahel: Young people against AIDS!

Every minute, six people under the age of 25 contract HIV. In Africa, some 1.7 million young people are infected with the AIDS virus every year. These alarming figures illustrate the urgent concerns addressed by Scenarios from the Sahel , an HIV/AIDS prevention project being conducted by and for adolescents and young adults primarly in three West African countries.

Scenarios from the Sahel provides young people in the region a unique opportunity not only to learn more about the relationship between HIV/AIDS and their everyday lives, but also -- and above all -- to inform people across the African continent about the dangers presented by this epidemic. During the Scenarios process, young people work in partnership with some of the region's premier artistic talents to produce a series of highly acclaimed short films.

Scenarios from the Sahel began back in early 1997, when a contest organized in Senegal, Mali and Burkina Faso generated the participation of some 13,000 young people under the age of 25. The contest participants (41% girls, 59% boys) demonstrated boundless imagination and creativity as they went about the task of drafting a scenario for a short film on HIV/AIDS. A key lesson learned from the contest is that the approach created an environment conducive to open discussion on HIV/AIDS and its many implications. The contest provided a forum for girls and boys to exchange views on topics generally considered taboo; nearly one of every two participants was a member of a mixed team.

When the contest was over, 150 national finalists and then 30 regional winners were selected by juries made up of specialists in the areas of HIV prevention and care, people living with HIV, and experts in film production. Today, a team of internationally renowned, committed filmmakers is busy transforming the scenarios of the regional winners into a series of short films with a duration of between 2 and 10 minutes each.

The first three Scenarios films, directed by Idrissa Ouédraogo of Burkina Faso, were shot at the end of 1997 in Ouagadougou and in neighboring villages. Two more films were completed in March/April 2000: a fourth by Idrissa Ouédraogo, and a cartoon featuring the Senegalese music star Ismaël Lô, directed by Pierre Sauvalle of Cameroun and animated at Pictoon Studios in Dakar, Senegal. The Malian director Cheick Oumar Sissoko shot the two most recent Scenarios films in Dakar in late April 2000.

The Scenarios films are broadcast on a non-commercial basis across the African continent on national television stations, as well as on international networks such as TV5, CFI and Canal+Horizons. Everywhere they are broadcast, the films create a great deal of enthusiasm; they are considered to be precious tools in the hands of the HIV-prevention community of Africa and beyond.

In 2001, nonprofit distribution of a compilation VHS cassette containing all of the Scenarios films will begin. The objective is to make the films available to non-governmental organizations, community-based organizations, educational organizations and other groups operating at the community level. The films will be dubbed into several languages including: Swahili, Hausa, Fulani, Bambara, Moré, Wolof, English, French and Portuguese. The video will include a user's guide.

A second Scenarios from the Sahel contest was conducted between February and May 2000 in Senegal, Mali and Burkina Faso. This year, the dozens of structures collaborating in the organization of the contest took special steps to reach out to three priority groups and to encourage them to contribute ideas for short films on HIV/AIDS: girls/young women, out-of-school youths, and rural youths. Once the regional jury completes its deliberations and the 30 winners are announced in September, production will begin on six more Scenarios films, three of which will be directed by Ousmane Sembène of Senegal. In addition, a series of radio shows based on winning scenarios will be produced.

The thousands of creative works contributed by the contest participants, gathered together at the Scenarios archives in Dakar, are a unique goldmine of information for researchers, prevention specialists, trainers, members of theater groups, etc. The archives are structured around a searchable computerized database to make it easy for interested individuals to locate and study scenarios written by a particular group or on a specific topic. The archives provide insights into the language used by young people, their perceptions on HIV/AIDS, the relevant difficulties they encounter in their everyday lives, and the solutions they suggest. The archives are also a way for members of the HIV-prevention community to measure the impact of past activities and to formulate strategies for future actions based on needs expressed by the young contest participants.

A number of local, national and international organizations around the world have expressed interest in replicating the Scenarios from the Sahel process. With a view to facilitating such initiatives, every step of the project is being carefully evaluated and documented, and a detailed Scenarios from the Sahel Replication Guide, commissioned by the United Nations Development Programme, was drafted and published in 1999. The Guide is being applied in the conceptualization and execution of Scenarios-style projects on HIV/AIDS in the United States and Nigeria, as well as in the context of a project designed to curb school violence in the Netherlands.

Scenarios from the Sahelenjoys the active collaboration of the National AIDS Control Programs of Senegal, Mali and Burkina Faso and is financed by UNFPA, DFID, Comic Relief (UK), The Futures Group International (Mali), UNDP, the Red Cross, Plan International, Peace Corps/USAID, WHO, and GTZ. Sponsors include Air Afrique, Swatch, Rainbow of California, CRIPS (whose project 3,000 Scenarios against a Virus, carried out in France from 1992-4, inspired Scenarios from the Sahel), Newcastle Sporting Club, The Edward Thompson Group, Africa Consultants International, Duplication Company, and Fine Cut Facilities.

For further information:
Daniel Enger or Kate Winskell
Scenarios du Sahel
B.P. 11589
Dakar - Peytavin
Senegal
Tel: 00-221-824-97-65
Fax: 00-221-824-07-41
E-mail: gdt@enda.sn

The Warrior Director: Idrissa Ouédraogo, Burkina Faso Based on an original idea by Ami Badiane, age 14, Senegal Filmed in Burkina Faso Duration: 2.5 minutes Language versions available: French, English, Bambara, Moré Story Line A young man who loves his country hears about the devastation being caused by AIDS. He believes that AIDS is a person and heads out to fight him. In the course of his search, the young man encounters a beautiful girl who informs him about the epidemic and a truly effective way to fight it. Key Messages AIDS is causing terrible destruction, and it is up to each of us to do something about it. The virus is invisible. You can't tell by looking at someone whether or not they are living with HIV. It is essential that we inform one another about AIDS. Condoms are an effective way to prevent the transmission of HIV.

The Shop Director: Idrissa Ouédraogo, Burkina Faso Based on an idea by Olga Ouédraogo, age 20, Burkina Faso Filmed in Burkina Faso Duration: 2.5 minutes Language versions available: French, English, Moré Story Line A young man and a young woman are about to make love. She insists on a condom, so he goes to the shop to buy one. In the shop, the young man feels terribly embarrassed and doesn't want to ask for condoms in front of other people. So he asks for cookies instead. And more cookies, and then even more. Then, another young man walks casually up to the counter and asks for some condoms. The old man next to him does the same. Realizing that the whole thing really isn't that difficult, the first young man asks the shopkeeper for an entire carton of condoms. As he approaches his house, laughing with joy and relief, he sees his girlfriend leaving in a huff -- he had left her waiting too long. Key Messages The scenario provides a good example of a strong young woman asserting herself, and of a young man accepting her point of view without any argument -- all in a moment of passion. When it comes to HIV prevention, be prepared in advance, or you might must miss out on what you're after. The scenario shows that we are not alone when it comes to feeling embarassed about buying condoms. However, it also shows that it really isn't all that difficult, and that lots of people -- old and young -- buy condoms all the time.

Only Once Director: Idrissa Ouédraogo, Burkina Faso Based on an idea by Diarra Diakhaté, age 17, Senegal Filmed in Burkina Faso Duration: 2.5 minutes Language versions available: French, English, Bambara, Moré Story Line A man returns home from the fields and wants to make love with his wife, who is living with HIV. She insists on using a condom and asks him to go buy some. He travels far and wide and, due to a series of unfortunate circumstances, has a lot of trouble finding condoms. Finally, he succeeds and races back home, only to find that his wife had some all along. She just wanted to know if he loved her enough to look after his health. Key Messages Condoms can prevent the transmission of HIV, but they must be used every single time. Just once is enough to become infected. Once a person has opted for a given prevention strategy, one's resolve must be unwavering, no matter how passionate the situation, no matter how far one has to travel. It is important to talk openly with your partner about prevention. Such frank discussions do not infringe on the expression of loving, caring and intimacy. It is possible to live in harmony, showing great tenderness and love, with a person who is living with HIV.

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