Staying Alive:  Brand new from the MTV stables is a new campaign that challenges young people to ignite a movement to change their sexual behaviour, and turn previously held norms on their heads to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS specifically in Kenya, Trinidad and Tobago, and Ukraine.

This campaign, under MTV’s award winning global HIV/AIDS campaign, Staying Alive, will address sexual networks, multiple partners, drug use and living with HIV, all in the context of national cultures and norms.

Kicking off all campaigns are explosive dramas in the three countries, all locally shot and produced, that will take a microscopic lens into the lives of young people who could be you, your best friends, your cousins or just random people you could imagine in your homes.  But before you get to see the dramas, we’ll take you behind the scenes to watch the stories unfold.  You’ll also understand why we’re shining a spotlight on the issues the dramas address through our street teams on the ground in each country

The campaign in T&T

An estimated fourteen thousand (14,000) people in Trinidad and Tobago are living with HIV/AIDS. The  campaign in Trinidad & Tobago seeks to Ignite a movement amongst the Caribbean young people to take control of their sexual lives and stop the spread of HIV/AIDS. The mass media campaign is spearheaded by a drama series with complementing radio and online initiatives to reach young people. Filming of the 1hr drama recently completed in Trinidad with the lead role going to young Joseph Lopez.

  The story revolves around a young urban radio DJ who finds out he has tested positive for HIV we see in the drama his struggle in telling those around him and his fear of the stigma and discrimination that surrounds the virus in Trinidad and Tobago. Joining forces with cinematic genius Ras Kassa who brought Not To Me, produced by Springwells last year to the Staying Alive catalogue, this year Kassa will explore an issue not usually addressed in the Caribbean.

The drama will premiere on World AIDS Day, December 1st, 2009. 
The online component can be found online at http://igniteblog.staying-alive.org/trinidad/ and on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/MTVStayingAliveCampaign on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MTVSAIgnite and we are also running a campaign to get 1000 18-25 year olds tested for HIV by world AIDS day at http://twitition.com/akvca

MTV Staying Alive Ignite is an initiative in partnership with UNICEF and support from The Caribbean Broadcasters Media Partnership. UNICEF, a truly global organization that operates on the ground in over 150 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive are fully funding the initiative while The Caribbean Broadcasters Media Partnership will partner in the distribution of the drama, which is rights free and available to any broadcaster to air free of charge.
For more information, please visit http://igniteblog.staying-alive.org/trinidad/