Media for Social Impact

A well-crafted, research-driven story can pave the way for transformational shifts in attitudes and behaviours among individuals and communities.

Our award-winning media portfolio – including TV chat shows, animated series and entertaining feature films – is bringing measurable change related to education, development, health, and social issues.

Our bespoke strategies combine human-centered design, mind brain education and technical advisors to maximize each production’s impact and longevity. At the beginning of each project, we map the specific attitudinal and behavioral impact goals for each production.

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822 million broadcast reach

29+ countries

25+ Film Festivals

50+ Awards

Our audiences not only love the powerful storylines, relatable characters and high production value, but the impact of the on-screen messaging is tangible.

95% of Inside Story viewers say they’d be more likely to use condoms every time they had sex

95% of My Better World viewers report that the series made them much more likely to support girls’ education in their communities

82% of Inside Story viewers want know their HIV status 

"My Better World embodies the best of what media can and should do - draw audiences on its entertainment merit, telling the stories that matter most, and leaving them empowered to improve their lives and the lives of those around them."

Citizen TV, Kenya

"I fell in love with this movie the first time I saw it. It made me feel things no other movie made me feel."

Shaina viewer

"It should be shown to the whole world because it’s an eye-opener."

The Lucky Specials viewer

"Television is inundated with negative images of Africa and the messages are always hopeless...Stories like Shaina will help create a mindset shift in African minds on what’s possible for them as well as helping African people become proud of themselves and their heritage."

Shaina viewer

Shaina

Impact

21 Million broadcast reach

5 countries

Awards & Accolades

Reviews

"The movie is amazing, emotional, inspiring and motivating. I learnt a lot and I admire the friendship."

Viewer

"I never knew we could produce such content in Zimbabwe. This movie was so inspiring and I don’t regret opening my eyes to watch it for a moment"

Viewer

"A very educational movie, I love it. It gives us gals strength to always stand up no matter what we go through. It’s really a great movie."

Viewer

"OMG I love this movie so much. Shaina should win an Oscar 4 real"

Viewer

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Overview

Shine is a teenager in Zimbabwe who has a knack for making something out of nothing and could have a promising future as an engineer, except for the fact that she doesn’t believe in herself. When she and her best friends Faro, Stella and Busi are faced with a host of grown-up problems – loss of loved ones, overdue exam fees and the curse of “blessers” – they come close to giving up. Will Shine and her friends be able to overcome their circumstances or will they admit defeat in the face of adversity? Their story is one of forgiveness and of friendship, of creating a new family from the people who love you, and of the very real power to be found in girls supporting girls. Shaina is designed to decrease gender-based violence by encouraging peer support among girls and demonstrating positive masculinity.

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My Better World

Impact

+ 51% in girls’ school enrolment

*The World Bank’s Development Impact Evaluation Department (DIME) 2020

- 15% desire among parents to have their girls become a mother at age 18 or younger

*The World Bank’s Development Impact Evaluation Department (DIME)

75% of Nigerian viewers said they talked about the themes of the episodes with others, including their children, friends and parents

*Geopoll survey of 1,000 viewers of the show on AIT and Arewa24 broadcast networks in Nigeria

95% of viewers reported that the series made them much more likely to support girls’ education in their communities

*Geopoll survey of 1,000 viewers of the show on AIT and Arewa24 broadcast networks in Nigeria

Awards & Accolades

Reviews

"It’s amazing and thoughtful."

My Better World viewer

"I love it."

My Better World viewer

"My Better World embodies the best of what media can and should do - draw audiences on its entertainment merit, telling the stories that matter most, and leaving them empowered to improve their lives and the lives of those around them."

Citizen TV, Kenya

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Overview

My Better World combines animation with real-life documentary shorts in a series for young people, exploring the adventures of six colorfully illustrated friends as they navigate the challenges of school, family, and friendship. It is a powerful resource for sparking conversations and driving behavior change on issues around health, staying in school, early marriage, and goal-setting. The series was developed with the help of local teens, and brought to life by a team of artists and animators across Africa. So far, My Better World has aired across 5 countries, 9 broadcasters, 140 million reach in 3 languages. It is the number 1 kids show in Kenya averaging 2 million viewers per episode.

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The Lucky Specials

Impact

294 million broadcast reach, 22 countries, 23 broadcasters

36% of respondents reported having gone for a TB test within 30 days of watching the movie

*Management Sciences for Health Evaluation

66% reported having advised someone to go for a TB test as a result of having watched the movie

*Management Sciences for Health Evaluation

#2 most watched movie in sub-Saharan Africa

Awards & Accolades

Reviews

"Sure to entertain."

The Citizen, Kenya

"I found the movie entertaining and helpful. Previously I did not notice symptoms of TB but now I am aware of how to spot the signs."

Viewer

"It should be shown to the whole world because it’s an eye-opener"

Viewer

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Overview

The Lucky Specials are a cover band in a dusty town in southern Africa. Mandla (Oros Mampofu) is a miner by day and plays lead guitar by night. He dreams of making it big in the music industry. When he contracts tuberculosis, the band, Mandla and their friend Nkanyiso (Sivenathi Mabuya) struggle to hold everything together. The film takes viewers inside our hero’s body, while also captivating them with a groundbreaking soundtrack.

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Inside Story

Impact

432 million broadcast reach, 29 countries, 37 broadcasters

82% of viewers in Zambia and Kenya wanted know their HIV status after watching the film

95% of viewers in Zambia and Kenya said they were more likely to use condoms every time they had sex after watching the film

#1 most watched movie in sub-Saharan Africa

Awards & Accolades

Reviews

"A rousing success"

LA Weekly

"It will make us understand better...if you understand the origin of something you’re going to understand better how to deal with this HIV/AIDS."

Young male viewer, South Africa

"Inside Story stands to make a tremendous impact on HIV and AIDS prevention."

Karl Friedrich, Co-Founder and Africa Executive Director, Grassroots Soccer

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Overview

Inside Story tells the story of Kalu (Kevin Ndege Mamboleo), a rising Kenyan footballer, who moves from rural Kenya to urban Johannesburg to follow his dream and support his family. His path becomes more challenging when he falls in love with the coach’s daughter, Ify (Kendra Etufunwa), and subsequently finds out he is HIV+. Kalu goes through an emotional journey as he comes to terms with his diagnosis, encountering social and financial challenges along the way. Using state-of-the-art animation, Inside Story explores the dynamic inner world of the human body, revealing the unseen world of HIV. Animated sequences showing the HIV virus traveling through the human body at different stages of the infection are interwoven with Kalu’s story. This story of love, football and HIV is now the most watched film in Africa ever.

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Discovery + Talk Shows

Impact

110 million reach, 8 countries, 6 broadcasters

"Discovery +234 specifically changed fathers’ attitudes and/or behavior towards education and girls’ education."

*Social Impact

"There is strong evidence that the Discovery +233 is creating sustainable attitude change among viewers... participants who have watched the show have indicated favorable views toward girls’ education."

*Social Impact

Awards & Accolades

Reviews

"Sometimes when I watch that program, how the women are empowered through their education, I say what if my daughter becomes someone like them in the future?"

Discovery+ viewer, Nigeria

"Personally I had the mentality to change my life but I could not because of age and children and because of Victoria [guest] story I said I will support myself and from her story I want to go back to school and one day I will be on this show telling my story."

Discovery + viewer

"When you start at a tender age educating a girl child you are just not educating that child you are educating the whole community."

Mother and Discovery+ viewer, Kenya

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Overview

Discovery+ talk shows brought weekly episodes featuring local celebrities, inspirational stories, and live music to TV screens while changing the public dialogue around girls’ education and women’s empowerment in Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria.
girl sitting on steps reading book

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