Project Proposal: POV TV - Empowering Youth Voices in Botswana

1. Executive Summary

What´s POV?

POV stands for Point of View.

Point of view is the perspective of the person narrating the story or a play. It can be categorized as first person or third person. 

First-person POV is when the character speaks about his own story, using I and us. 

Third-person, on the other hand, is when there is a speaker or a narrator in a story using he/she or them in the story/play.

Therefore, POV is the narrator's perspective or position in the story being told.

This project proposes to conceptualize and produce a new TV program called POV - Point of View (POV TV), made by and for the youth in Botswana, Africa. 

• POV TV is a youth-led television program designed to address critical issues faced by Batswana secondary school students and Batswana society.

• POV TV will be aired once a week on Botswana Television - Btv and live streamed on YouTube channel.

• The program empowers young people to express themselves, share experiences, and raise awareness about HIV/AIDS, alcohol and drug use, social media use, cyberbullying, misinformation, etc. 

• Students film content using mobile phones under experienced producers' guidance. POV TV aims to inform, empower, and promote positive change among youth.

2. Problem Statement

Among specific challenges faced by youth in Botswana: 

• High HIV/AIDS prevalence among youth in Botswana.

• Growing issue of alcohol and drug use among adolescents.

• Negative social media impacts on teens (cyberbullying, misinformation). 

• Lack of engaging platforms for youth to discuss these critical issues.

3. Proposed Solution: POV TV

POV TV program addresses these issues by:

• Youth-Led Production: Students create relatable content for their peers.

• Mobile Phone Technology: Accessible technology reduces costs and empowers students.

• Focus on Interdisciplinary Subjects: POV TV tackles various youth issues holistically.

• Collaboration with Experts: Students receive guidance from media professionals.

• Multi-Platform Distribution: Btv airings and YouTube streaming ensure wider reach.

4. POV TV Benefits and Impact

POV TV offers a unique opportunity to empower youth in Botswana.

• Increased Awareness: POV TV educates viewers about critical social issues.

• Positive Behavioral Change: The program encourages safer choices and healthier habits.

• Skill Development: Participants gain filmmaking, production, and scriptwriting skills.

• Empowerment and Voice: POV TV provides a platform for youth expression and advocacy.

• By providing a platform for expression and education, the program can significantly impact young people's lives and contribute to a healthier and more informed society.

5. POV TV Research

• Conceptualization: Develop the TV program format, content themes, and production guidelines.

• Audience Research: Understand how Batswana youth communicate and use technology.

• Ethical Considerations: Analyze potential ethical issues in youth media production.

• Research partnerships: Collaborate with government agencies, NGOs, and media organizations.

6. POV TV Producers

• A. Rocha (POV TV Multimedia Producer and Project Manager - USA Branch) has extensive experience in ICT-based education and social programs. Rocha was the Director of Information Communication Technology from 2002 to 2006 in Gaborone, Botswana. Hired by United Nations UNDP and later by ACHAP (Bill & Melinda Gates, Merck Foundation), successfully implemented ICTs tools to support the award-winning TALKBACK on HIV/Aids interactive TV show. He created websites, YouTube channels and promotional material for marketing and branding of the program. He established partnerships with NGOs, public and private sector actors. Trained TV production crew to ensure sustainability of the program.

• S.Nagen (POV TV Producer and Project Manager - Botswana Branch) former Botswana Television Btv senior producer. Nagen has extensive experience in TV production. Nageng and A. Rocha had the opportunity to work together for more than 4 years producing together TALKBACK TV show in Botswana.

7. POV TV Transversal Themes

POV TV is a youth-led television program designed to address critical issues faced by Batswana youth. The TV program will be produced by public school Secondary Education students, using mobile phone cameras, with the help of a team of professional producers. The POV TV program topics will be shared and validated by the Botswana Ministry of Education and Botswana Television - Btv. POV TV will provide a platform for young people to express their views, share experiences, and raise awareness about different topics such as:

• Social Media

• Fake News

• AI

• Cyberbullying

• Pornography

• Relationships, Love and sex

• HIV/AIDS

• Alcohol and Drugs

• Digital Addictions

• Depression and Anxiety

• Self-help and relationships

• Body Image

• Obesity

• Beauty

• Death

• Wellness (physical, emotional, spiritual, social)

• Pop culture: Local music, comedy, sports and current events

8. POV TV Desired Impact

The POV TV program has the potential to make a significant impact on the well-being of young people in Botswana. By providing young people with information and resources, and by raising awareness of the issues they are facing, the program can help them to stay safe and healthy.

Specifically, the POV TV program can help to:

● Reduce the prevalence of HIV/AIDS among young people by providing them with information about safe sex and HIV prevention.

● Reduce the prevalence of alcohol and drug use among young people by providing them with information about the risks of these substances and how to avoid them.

● Reduce the incidence of cyberbullying and misinformation among young people by providing them with information about how to stay safe online and how to identify and avoid misinformation.

● Reduce the incidence of addiction among young people by providing them with

information about the signs and symptoms of addiction and how to get help.

In addition to these specific impacts, the POV TV program can also help to:

● Empower young people by giving them a voice and a platform to share their stories and perspectives.

● Inspire young people to take action to make their communities better.

● Build trust between young people and adults by providing a platform for dialogue and understanding.

9. POV TV Format

POV TV Program Format

This section delves into the exciting format of POVTV, exploring its structure and core concept. We'll unpack the show's genre, storytelling approach, and production methods.

Unveiling POVTV: A Show with Diverse Perspectives

• Meet the Storytellers: Each episode kicks off with introductions from the program's host. They'll introduce the talented producers and videographers behind the featured videos, along with a glimpse into the episode's central themes.

• Interactive Interviews: The program embraces an informal interview style, similar to what you might find on YouTube podcasts. This can involve either a split-screen format featuring the presenter and producers, or a more traditional interview setting (remotely or in-studio).. 

• Compelling Content: Following the introductions and interviews, viewers are treated to the heart of the show - the video clips themselves.

• Flexibility and Audience Engagement: POVTV offers a hybrid approach to broadcasting. Episodes can be either prerecorded or presented live, with the latter format leveraging the power of YouTube Live streaming. This interactive element allows viewers to participate by sending comments through the YouTube platform, fostering a dynamic dialogue around the featured stories.

POV TV Program Transversal Skills

The program production will promote UNESCO six categories of transversal skills:

• Critical and innovative thinking

• Interpersonal skills

• Intrapersonal skills

• Global citizenship

• Media and information literacy

• Others: problem solving, communication, teamwork and leadership.

POV TV videos and the 5Ws

All short videos shall bring and present the 5 Ws to viewers.

The 5 Ws provide detailed and specific information to keep viewers engaged and convey a complete thought or story. The 5 Ws are:

1. Who: The subject of the writing, usually a person. Who is it about?

2. What: The action of the subject or event taking place. What is happening?

3. When: The time and date of the action or event. When is the event happening?

4. Where: The location of the event. Where is the action taking place?

5. Why: The reason for the action or event. Why is this happening?

POVT V Program Duration

Total program duration: 45 minutes

Program Rundown

1. -Intro of the program: 4 minutes

2. -Intro of the video clip #1: 4 minutes

3. -Video clip #1: 6-8 minutes

4. -Intro of the video clip #2: 4 minutes

5. -Video clip #2: 6-8 minutes

6. POVTV BREAK: 1 minute

7. -Intro of the video clip #3: 4 minutes

8. -Video clip #3: 6-8 minutes

9. -Intro of the video clip #4: 4 minutes

10. -Video clip #4: 6-8 minutes

11. -Call for the next episode / credits: 2 minutes

10. POV TV Structure and Interaction

Structure and Concept

This format fosters a dynamic and engaging experience, allowing viewers to delve deeper into the featured topics from various perspectives.

Genre: POV TV will be a documentary-style program with a focus on social issues.

Narrative Style: The show will feature interviews with producers/videographers and use their first-hand accounts to create a compelling narrative.

Production Techniques: The program will blend pre-recorded video segments with live such as simulcast commenting on YouTube channel, allowing for audience interaction.

POV TV Episodes

The show will be hosted by human and/or AI presenter who will introduce the producers, videographers, and the main themes of the featured videos.

A YouTube interview-style format will be used, with the presenter and producers/videographers sharing the screen.

Following the introductions and interviews, the program will showcase the video clips.

The suggested program's duration is between 45-60 minutes. Each video clip duration is about 8-15 minutes. The suggested number of video clips per program is 3 or 4 per episode.

Broadcast Options

POVTV will utilize a hybrid broadcast approach. The program will be pre-recorded aired by Btv and simulcasted on YouTube Live streaming.

In the live setting, viewers can actively participate by sending comments through the YouTube chat functionality.  

Engaging with viewers

POVTV producers will reply to comments, filter out inappropriate ones, and moderate discussions on POVTV YouTube channel.

11. POV TV Data Collection and Polls

POV TV and WhatsApp

WhatsApp is popular around the globe due to its ease of use and low cost. In fact, data shows that it is currently the most popular messaging app in the world and widely used in Botswana. WhatsApp will be used by POV TV as an efficient tool for reaching out POV TV viewers, conduct polls and data gathering and build strong viewership participation. 

Integrating WhatsApp with a professional-grade survey tool

​Researchers and M&E professionals across the globe have switched from paper data collection systems to digital data collection systems in recent years, and now, many want the ability to further digitize and streamline their data collection workflows by connecting with survey participants using WhatsApp. The major benefit of WhatsApp polls is their simplicity: it’s simple to ask questions and get answers in a group chat.

POV TV WhatsApp Partnerships

POV TV may partner with third party such as SurveyCTO which is a robust mobile data collection platform designed to help you collect data with ease from anywhere in the world – even in the most remote locations with no internet connectivity.

POV TV Project Research and Production Summary

This research proposes to conceptualize a new TV program called POV - Point of View, made by and for the youth in Botswana, Africa. The program will explore interdisciplinary subjects such as HIV/AIDS, alcohol and drug use, social media use, cyberbullying, misinformation, addiction, and other major conflicts faced by youth in public schools and Batswana society.

Program Production

The POV TV program will be produced by public school Secondary Education students, using mobile phone cameras, with the help of a team of professional producers. All the TV program topics will be approved by the Ministry of Education and Btv. The initial idea is to have POV TV aired once a week on Botswana Television and later have it uploaded to the program’s YouTube channel.

Secondary Education in Botswana

The secondary school enrolment in 2019 was 178,973, which was an increase of 1.87 percent (175,694) as compared to 2018 enrolment. Female students accounted for 51.9 percent compared to their male counterparts with 48.1 percent.

Some of the Problems

Botswana has an estimated HIV prevalence of 20.68% and has consistently been among the highest in the Eastern and southern African region.

https://www.unaids.org/sites/default/files/country/documents/BWA_2020_countryreport.pdf

Alcohol,  e-cigarettes and illicit drug use has been recognized as a growing problem among adolescents in Botswana.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30572874/

Social media allows teens to create online identities, communicate with others and build social networks. However, social media use can also negatively affect teens, distracting them, disrupting their sleep, and exposing them to bullying, rumor spreading, unrealistic views of other people's lives and peer pressure.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/tween-and-teen-health/in-depth/teens-and-social-media-use/art-20474437

Botswana Partnership

The research project shall be made in partnership with A. Rocha and S. Nageng, his counterpart and Botswana Television - Btv senior director-producer. A. Rocha and S. Nageng already had the opportunity to work together for more than 4 years in an UNDP Botswana TV project from 2002 to 2006.

http://www.achap.org/resources/library/Talk-Back%20TV%20Programme.pdf

All new and innovative TV program 

The proposed TV program will be a completely new version of an award-winning TV program, Talk Back, that A. Rocha produced and directed in partnership with his counterpart, S. Nageng, and Botswana Television - Btv. Talk Back was a successful TV program part of the Teacher Capacity Building -TCB on HIV/Aids prevention in Botswana. The program was done in partnership with UNDP, Botswana MOA, Botswana Television - BTV, ACHAP, Bill & Melinda Gates and Merck foundation. For our outstanding work the program was granted the Highway Africa 2004 Media Award.

About POVT TV Directors

A. Rocha and S. Nageng already had the opportunity to work together for more than 4 years in an UNDP Botswana TV project from 2002 to 2006.

A. Rocha was the Director of Information Communication Technology from 2002 to 2006 in Gaborone, Botswana. Hired by United Nations UNDP and later by ACHAP (Bill & Melinda Gates, Merck Foundation), successfully implemented ICTs tools to support the award-winning TALKBACK on HIV/Aids interactive TV show. 

https://www.behance.net/gallery/162678461/Don-Rocha-Portfolio

https://www.linkedin.com/in/donroch/

Benefits and Positive Impacts

The proposed POV TV is a promising new TV program with the potential to make a positive impact on the lives of young people in Botswana. 

By providing TV broadcasting and social media platforms for young people to express themselves and share their experiences on HIV/AIDS, alcohol and drug use, and responsible social media use, the program can help to raise awareness, promote positive changes for Batswana Youth.

The program will also provide valuable skills training for public school students, who will learn about filming, TV production, and script writing.

Problem Statement

The research will outline a TV program that is made by and for the youth in Botswana. The TV program will also explore interdisciplinary subjects that are relevant to young people's lives, such as HIV/AIDS, alcohol and drug use, social media use, cyberbullying, misinformation, addictions, and other major conflicts. The TV program will raise awareness of these issues and provide young people with information and resources to help them stay safe and healthy.

Problem Impacts

Our target group: Secondary students in Botswana.

The secondary school enrolment in 2019 was 178,973, which was an increase of 1.87 percent (175,694) as compared to 2018 enrolment. Female students accounted for 51.9 percent compared to their male counterparts with 48.1 percent.

HIV Aids Impact

Botswana has an estimated HIV prevalence of 20.68% and has consistently been among the highest in the Eastern and southern African region.

https://www.unaids.org/sites/default/files/country/documents/BWA_2020_countryreport.pdf

The impact of HIV and Aids on individuals and groups, according to Botswana HIV prevalence by age and sex:

Among adults aged 15‐64 years, HIV prevalence ranged from 2.7% for females aged 15‐19 years to 52.0% for females aged 45‐49 years and from 1.6% for males aged 15‐19 years to 39.0% for males aged 50‐54 years.

https://www.statsbots.org.bw/sites/default/files/BAIS%20V%20Preliminary%20Report.pdf

"Every day, more than one thousand (1,100) young people (aged 15 – 24 years) become infected with HIV globally. Sub-Saharan Africa remains the epicenter of the HIV epidemic, accounting for nearly 60 percent (59%) of new HIV infections in 2021. Many countries in the region are also experiencing a significant surge in their youth population, commonly referred to as the “youth bulge.” This, in turn, results in a sharp increase in the absolute number of young people who are at risk of contracting HIV."

https://www.cdc.gov/globalhivtb/who-we-are/success-stories/success-story-pages/preventing-hiv-among-african-youth.html

Alcohol and Substances

Alcohol and illicit drug use has been recognized as a growing problem among adolescents in Botswana. Little is known about factors affecting alcohol and drug use among Botswana's secondary school students. “Of the 1936 students surveyed, 816 (42.1%) reported alcohol use, and 434 (22.4%) met criteria for hazardous alcohol use. Illicit drug use was reported by 324 students (16.7%), with motokwane (marijuana) being the most commonly used drug. Risk factors more strongly associated with alcohol and drug use were reported alcohol availability, individual and social vulnerability factors, and poor peer modeling. Individual and social controls protections appear to mitigate risk of student alcohol and drug use”.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30572874/

Social Media Use

Social media is a powerful tool but can have a significant impact on young people's lives. Social media use can also negatively affect teens, distracting them, disrupting their sleep, and exposing them to cyberbullying, rumor spreading, misinformation, and addiction, unrealistic views of other people's lives and peer pressure, cyber scamming, fake jobs offers, dating scams and human trafficking.

https://www.interpol.int/en/News-and-Events/News/2023/INTERPOL-issues-global-warning-on-human-trafficking-fueled-fraud

Value Add of Project

The value add of the project is that it will create a TV program that is made by and for the youth in Botswana. This means that the program will be more likely to resonate with and be engaging for young people. The program will also explore interdisciplinary subjects that are relevant to young people's lives, such as HIV/AIDS, alcohol and drug use, social media use, cyberbullying,

misinformation, addiction, and other major conflicts.

This is important because young people in Botswana are vulnerable to these issues. For example, Botswana has one of the highest HIV prevalence rates in the world, and alcohol and drug use is a growing problem among adolescents. The POV TV program can help to raise awareness of these issues and provide young people with information and resources to help them stay safe and healthy.

In addition, the POV TV program will research how Batswana youth are communicating and using mobile phones, social media, and peer-to-peer networks. This research will provide insights into the ethical issues and conflicts that young people are facing. This information can be used to develop more effective interventions to address these issues.

Overall, the POV TV program has the potential to make a significant contribution to the well-being of young people in Botswana. By providing young people with information and resources, and by raising awareness of the issues they are facing, the program can help them to stay safe and healthy.

Mission Alignment

Our proposed TV program, made by and for the youth in Botswana, Africa, will bridge the gap between journalists and scholars, and the public in several ways:

- The program will provide journalists with access to fresh perspectives and insights from young people on important social issues.

- The program will share the research and findings with a wider audience using different online platforms.

- The program will help to educate the public about important social issues and the perspectives of young people.

The program will also help to build trust between journalists, scholars, and the public. By providing a platform for young people to share their stories and perspectives, the program will help to break down stereotypes and promote understanding.

In addition, the program will help to promote civic engagement among young people. By providing young people with information and resources, and by raising awareness of the issues they are facing, the program can help them to become more engaged in their communities and to advocate for change.

Overall, our proposed TV program has the potential to make a significant contribution to the well-being of young people in Botswana.

Overview of the Research Plan

This research project aims to conceptualize a TV program called POV TV (Point of View) that is made by and for the youth in Botswana, Africa. The program will explore interdisciplinary subjects such as HIV/AIDS, alcohol and drug use, social media use, cyberbullying, misinformation, addiction, and other major conflicts faced by youth in public schools and Batswana society.

The research will also investigate how the Batswana youth is communicating and using mobile phones, social media, and peer-to-peer networks. This research will provide insights into the ethical issues and conflicts that young people are facing.

Contribution to Academia and Botswana Media

This research will make a valuable contribution to existing knowledge of youth understanding regarding safe sex, alcohol and substances use, and HIV and AIDS prevention in Botswana.

The research project will be conducted in partnership with A. Rocha and S. Nageng, his counterpart and Botswana Television (Btv) senior director-producer. A. Rocha and S. Nageng have worked together for more than four years on an UNDP Botswana award-winning project from 2002 to 2006.

Sources of Data

The researchers will use a variety of sources of data to complete their analysis, including published data, academic and scientific literature, and archival of MOE HIV and AIDS Talk Back TV program validated scripts. They intend to partner with local and international NGOs, UN agencies, Botswana Government MOE, MOH, and multimedia private sector.

Research Methods

A. Rocha and his Botswana TV partner, S. Nageng  will discuss and suggest the research methods that will be used, as well as possible sources, partnerships, and actors.

Possible HIV Programs Partnership in Botswana

● CDC Botswana

● Bonela – The Botswana Network on Ethics, Law and HIV/AIDS

● FHI 360

● UNDP

● UNAIDS

● UNICEF

● Frontline AIDS

● Global Communities

● BONEPWA+ Botswana Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS

● NACA

● Btv

● ACHAP

● The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

● Merck & Co., Inc.

● Republic of Botswana MOE and MOH

Intended output

The intended output of our research will be publicly accessible as follows:

● Website: A website will be created to house all of the research materials, including the initial proposal, research findings, videos, and links to project references and partnerships. The website will be designed to be user-friendly and accessible to a wide audience.

● Documents: All of the research documents will be available on the website, for download

in PDF format. This will make it easy for people to access the research findings and share them with others.

● Videos and Reference Links: The website will bring videos and links of the project’s references and partnerships. This will make it easy for people to learn more about the research and the organizations involved.

By making the research output publicly accessible in these formats, the researchers hope to reach a wide audience and to make a significant contribution to the well-being of young people in Botswana.

Desired Impact of the Research

The research has the potential to make a significant impact on the well-being of young people in Botswana. By providing young people with information and resources, and by raising awareness of the issues they are facing, the program can help them to stay safe and healthy.

Specifically, the POV TV program can help to:

● Reduce the prevalence of HIV/AIDS among young people by providing them with information about safe sex and HIV prevention.

● Reduce the prevalence of alcohol and drug use among young people by providing them with information about the risks of these substances and how to avoid them.

● Reduce the incidence of cyberbullying and misinformation among young people by providing them with information about how to stay safe online and how to identify and avoid misinformation.

● Reduce the incidence of addiction among young people by providing them with

information about the signs and symptoms of addiction and how to get help.

In addition to these specific impacts, the POV TV program can also help to:

● Empower young people by giving them a voice and a platform to share their stories and perspectives.

● Inspire young people to take action to make their communities better.

● Build trust between young people and adults by providing a platform for dialogue and understanding.

Conclusion

This research project has the potential to make a significant contribution to the well-being of young people in Botswana. By providing young people with information and resources, and by raising awareness of the issues they are facing, the program can help them to stay safe and healthy.