The power of television to educate and entertain millions in western Africa
UNAIDS - "A baby abandoned at a health clinic, an abusive boyfriend, dating woes and fake medicines are all plot twists in C’est la Vie (That’s Life), a television series based in, and produced in, Africa. Shot in Senegal, the sitcom takes place in the fictitious Ratanga health clinic, where midwives interact with patients and work on various cases. Their life stories and office politics come into play, adding intrigue, but the overall aim is to raise health awareness through entertainment.
The series, a first in western Africa, was inspired by Mexican pioneer Miguel Sabido—who used telenovelas to promote literacy and family planning—as well as by the educational television series Shuga. Shuga, the MTV English-language series, is now in its six season and has been so successful that it has moved its filming location from Kenya to capture new stories from Nigeria and South Africa."