Thousands of children have joined the Soul Buddyz Club children’s movement and have, through many innovative ways reported tremendous gains. The project however has not been immune to challenges and the Soul Buddyz Club team, in conjunction with project partners and Clubs on the ground are consistently striving to increase and strengthen the positive effects of the Soul Buddyz Club project.
The Soul Buddyz Club is a joint initiative of Soul City Institute for Health and Development Communication and SABC Education in collaboration with the Department of Education. The project was established in 2002 in response to an influx of requests from ordinary children in diverse South African communities. The impetus for starting the Soul Buddyz Clubs was the highly successful and popular Soul Buddzy children’s television drama series which was first screened in August 2000.
Soul Buddyz is a multimedia edutainment project and co-production between Soul City: Institute for Health and Development Communication and SABC Education. Soul Buddyz successfully highlighted the challenges facing children as well as the ability of children to confront and manage problem situations in order to make a difference in their communities. However, despite the phenomenal impact that Soul Buddyz had in terms of reach and impact, there were gaps between what children were exposed to in relation to what they could actually do or practice in their own lives. While Soul Buddyz raised issues pertinent to the health and well being of children, research suggested that children more often than not, lacked the infrastructure and resources needed to take positive action in their own lives and communities.
This critical factor, coupled with the requests by children for information and assistance in setting up their own Soul Buddyz groups went on to form the vision for the Soul Buddyz Club project.
Together with children and adults, create and sustain a platform that gives voice to and promotes action for children’s health and well being.
Objectives
Soul Buddzy Clubs are aimed at:
Soul Buddyz Club promotes: