Shuga Global discusses Creating HIV Prevention Media with Youth at AIDS 2026

Episode Description

At AIDS 2026 in Rio de Janeiro, host Ben Plumley speaks with Wame Jallow, Jerop Limo, and JulieBrenda Waweru about Shuga Global’s evolution from the MTV Staying Alive Foundation and why entertainment-education remains relevant for HIV prevention and youth health. They discuss how Shuga’s storytelling reflects young people’s lived realities, helps break taboos, builds agency, and connects audiences to services through a broader ecosystem that includes peer education, screenings, and chatbots. The guests describe how Gen Z’s autonomy, digital media habits, and demand for solutions require new ways of communicating health, while addressing backlash, misinformation, and harmful online influences. They also share reflections from the conference on shifting resources, community leadership, new prevention and treatment options, and the need to fund and empower youth-led solutions through stronger government and civil society collaboration.

00:00 Welcome and Guests

01:14 What Is Shuga Now

01:22 From MTV to Global Movement

02:38 Proof Entertainment Works

04:54 Why Shuga Still Matters

07:28 Fan Stories and Impact

09:16 Gen Z Needs New Approach

14:23 Solutions Not Lectures

16:14 Youth Activism and Health Demands

17:45 Media Shift And Backlash

18:32 Short Clips For Health

19:02 Shuga As Holistic Support