INTRODUCTION/JUSTIFICATION

Today’s world is driven by information technology and the media. More and more people have become increasingly dependent on these two for communication and information. In recent times, even for much more requirements that includes entertainment and education. At least 4 billion of the world’s six billion population are said to have access to phones, television and radio. In Nigeria alone 85 million people listen to the radio and 50 million watch television regularly. The subscriber base of mobile phone users is also well over 65 million. On the television side, in particular, there is a current craze for reality shows, which have proved to be the biggest audience catchers.

Water and sanitation on the other hand are two basic requirements of life that together can either contribute towards either the reduction or increase of the disease burden. Some of these diseases include cholera, diarrhea, typhoid fever, guinea worm and the likes.  And as the world moves fast towards 2015 and the target for the actualization of the Millennium Development Goals, there is an increased focus on improving access to both water and sanitation (two important components of the seventh MDGs on Environmental Sustainability) particularly in sub Saharan Africa.

For Nigeria particularly, where it has been reported that 103 million of the country’s 140 million population lack access to sanitation facilities and 69 million also lack access to adequate water, the challenge is great.  Yet the way forward to improving the water and sanitation situation are said to be three things; provision of more safe water sources, provision of more sanitation facilities particularly latrines and mounting of an effective hygiene education and promotion campaign.  This solution has been code named WASH.

It is in the light of this and to use the opportunity of the ever growing television reality programme sector that Tauheed Media Ltd is proud to propose the production of a water and sanitation reality programme for children to be tagged “THE WASH  CHALLENGE”

The benefits of this show will be numerous. First it will succeed in promoting the challenges in attaining the targets of water and sanitation in Nigeria, provide Nigerians, particularly children an opportunity to increase their knowledge of water and sanitation and encourage them to take appropriate action to improve the situation in their homes, communities and the nation in general. It will demonstrate the excellent role of children as agents of change.

OBJECTIVES

1.      To increase the knowledge of Nigerians, particularly children and their mothers on the importance of water and sanitation to their health and life

2.      To promote the basic hygiene practices in daily life for adoption by children, mothers and entire  family members

3.      To encourage policy makers and leaders in providing more water and sanitation facilities to the people

4.      To further increase visibility for the communities and activities of the Know-WATSAN Project being implemented by the Global Initiative for Women and Children and funded by the European Union INSIDE project

5.      To provide an alternative and entertaining television programme for children and families and others in the ever growing addiction to television in the world

NATURE OF THE PROGRAMME

1.      Participants to be drawn from Target communities: Participants for the programme (audience and contestants) who should be school children under the age of 16 will be drawn from the three target communities of Kusfa, Unguwar Sarki and Katul Crossing in good gender mix. Representations of the communities can also be arranged if direct participation is not feasible. There will be three teams in the show, each team represents one community viz; Team Kusfa, Team Unguwar Sarki and Team Katul.

2.      A Thirty minutes programme of 13 Episodes: The programme will be of thirty minutes duration and will have thirteen episodes. A partnership will be worked out with a television station for the hosting of the programme on its airwaves.

3.       Three segments: The programme will be in three segments:

·         The first segment will be classroom based where all the teams will receive a presentation (by a water and sanitation or communications expert) on one important aspect of water and sanitation. (eg safe water) The presentation will be short for some two to five minutes and power point based. After the presentation team members will be allowed to ask questions to be responded to by the presenter. All questions will be assessed and scored based on their quality and way they were asked. The points will go to the team to which the questioner belongs.  

·        The second segment will showcase the quiz proper with the teams seated in competitive nature and responding to questions from a quiz master. It will last for not more than ten minutes.  Questions will be drawn from issues and facts around water and sanitation but also general knowledge will be allowed.

·        The third segment will be a fun filled singing contest. The respective teams will present a song each bordering on the topic presented earlier in the first segment. It can either be sung by an individual or the team as a whole.

4.      A Panel of Judges to Award scores: There will be a three person panel of judges who will award points to the teams in each segment and announce an overall winner for each episode. They will also decide the final winner of the contest over a period of the thirteen episodes.

5.      Prizes:  Appropriate prizes to the contestants and audience will be awarded. These could range from scholarships, books or cash and other forms as the organizers may decide.