Champs Club Kidz/Project Early Puppet Television Show

This initiative uses the medium of television to educate kids about HIV/AIDS in an entertaining way. "The Champs Club" episodes discuss the basics of health/disease through children's songs, talk sessions, and activities. The project is using puppets and elemental educational methods to: deliver basic education about what HIV and AIDS is, transmission, prevention, risks, etc.; reject myths and misconceptions and address the issue of HIV/AIDS-related discrimination; inform and empower young people about their rights and how they can protect themselves; and involve more people in HIV and AIDS training and educating.

The project is participatory in that it involves college students (trainees or peer educators) and students in primary and secondary schools (ages 4 years and up) around the island. Angel Mountain Limited is training a total of up to 50 personnel for their individual roles in the show for the purpose of disseminating the correct information. These include students, parents, teachers, and puppeteer volunteers.

Specifically, to prepare for the filming of the 13 episodes, 22 children between the ages of 4 and 12 participated in sessions to learn about HIV and AIDS. Approximately 7 older individuals took part, including musicians who joined in the action to sing songs with the kids about HIV. Organisers also arranged a session for parents and kids to learn about HIV and AIDS together. Then, 10 children were selected to be the main cast members. They take part in 4 or 5 segments that make up each show, which features puppets, singing and dancing, games, kids talk, and "lively discussion with our expert in the field of HIV/AIDS, Dr. Marianne Szauer from Angel Mountain Ltd." In Episode 1, viewers learned what a virus is and how to keep them out of their bodies. Instructions for making homemade playdough were provided as part of a hands-on activity for young viewers to make a model of what the HIV virus might look like.

"The Champs Club" premiered on the Grenada Broadcasting Network (GBN) on channels 7 and 11 beginning September 1 2009, with a 3-month airtime package of weekly broadcasts with one repeat of the same episode every week. To spread the word, television and radio ads were broadcast - and newspaper and internet promotional campaigns are being developed - to give details about the days and times the programme will be aired. Letters were sent to principals of participating students in 8 primary schools to ask for their support in getting the word out within each school.

To expand the reach of the programme, organisers set up a blogspot, where many of the activities from the show are excerpted, and where songs and images may be heard and browsed. Also, by accessing the Brain Storm Productions website, one may view episodes online.

HIV/AIDS, Children, Youth.

According to organisers, sexual initiation begins very early in the region (as early as 9 years of age), and there are still taboos associated with talking about sex and HIV. "The Champs Club" is designed to help break this communication barrier.

Brain Storm Productions describes itself as "a talented group of young film-makers" who focus on the production of television programmes with special interest in helping Grenada's NGOs, such as Angel Mountain Limited, promote projects on HIV and other health issues. Angel Mountain Limited's community-based Project Early programme educates and promotes HIV/AIDS awareness, especially among young people, about some of the major issues affecting them; in turn, the programme draws on their skills as peer educators. Puppeteers have also been trained to use puppets to teach about HIV. Against this background, Brain Storm Productions thought that it was a good idea to reach more young people with their message by converting Project Early into a television programme for broadcast in Grenada and, hopefully, the rest of the Caribbean region. (Organisers planned to take it to the regional broadcaster, Caribvision, after the national 13-week broadcast run).

Youth Visioning for Island Living aims to empower young people to be able to: realise their sustainable development ideas; put young people in leadership positions so that they can learn and teach others; and build capacity of youth to take action and make a difference on their island. In addition to Grenada, the UNESCO initiative also includes 2 other projects in the Caribbean, including Haiti and the Dominican Republic, as well as 5 in the Pacific Ocean and 3 in the Indian Ocean.