Reseaux - a 6 Episode TV Series that Aims at Denouncing Risky Sexual Behaviors in the Ivorian Society

Unmet Need
Nearly 3% of all adults in the Ivory Coast are infected with HIV/AIDs, of that 3% nearly 35% will die due to HIV/AIDs related causes. These numbers represent the highest prevalence rate of HIV/AIDs in West Africa.  Long term sociopolitical turmoil, violence, and economic instability have made it difficult for foreign aid agencies to access infected populations. This isolation has resulted in reduced access to education and consequently a slower decrease of transmission rates of HIV/AIDs in the Ivory Coast than in surrounding regions.

Technology Overview
Réseaux is a 6 episode TV series that aims to increase education about the risks of HIV/AIDs in the Ivory Coast. Centered on three families living in Côte d’Ivoire, Réseaux attempts to illustrate the pain and grief associated with HIV/AIDs as well as the types of sexual behavior that might put an individual at increased risk of contracting a sexually transmitted infection. Television represents a uniquely practical method for wide-spread education in the Ivory Coast. In the Ivory Coast fewer than 14/1000 people have access to internet, only 50/1000 have access to a phone and fewer than half of all adults are functionally literate, yet for every 1000 individuals there are nearly 100 televisions, many of which are shared or public, meaning access to visual media is relatively widespread. Réseaux has already aired a first season on the national broadcast network in Côte d’Ivoire and has received moderate public acclaim and popularity.

Stage of Development
6 Episodes filmed, more possible
 

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