The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) have joined forces with the Sacrefilms production firm to release the third season of the ‘Lucky Trip’ series for public education.
Lucky Trip is an edutainment reality TV series that engages young people with entertaining content by highlighting real-life conversations that usually take place when people use digital ride-hauling platforms like Bolt, Uber and Yango, among others.
This season features fifteen of Ghana’s beloved celebrities, including luminaries like James Gardiner, Roselyn Ngissah, David Osei, Fiifi Coleman, and Elikem the Tailor. During each episode, unsuspecting riders catch a ride with a celebrity, engaging in a conversation about topics of personal interest
Drawing inspiration from the successes chalked through the use of YOLO TV series as a platform for sensitisation and education on reproductive health and public health issues, the GHS and the USAID have seized the opportunity to introduce relevant public health informative content to the new season.
Deputy Director for the Health Promotion Division at the Ghana Health Service, Mabel Anim, highlighted the commitment of GHS to fostering health-conscious behaviours through the media.
“Through mass media and TV programmes, we enlighten Ghana’s population about essential health behaviours. The episodes in this season will shed light on vital topics like adolescent health and family planning. We will learn about important health messages, but in a way that makes it real to all of us,” she explained.
Acting Health Office Director – USAID Ghana, Dr. Stephen Dzisi, at the premiere, explained that the beauty of the show lies in the power of ‘edutainment’ – the intersection of entertainment and education, stressing that educational messages would be sprinkled throughout the series in a fun and engaging way through the voices of young people.
“Lucky Trip is the latest series in our innovative collaboration to get messages out to the public in a fun and entertaining way. USAID has supported four seasons of the popular youth-oriented show known as YOLO – You Only Live Once.
“The episodes will shed light on vital topics like adolescent health, family planning, nutrition, gender equity, disability inclusion and how we are adapting to life with COVID-19,” he said.
He concluded that the project forms part of USAID’s commitment to helping Ghanaian youths adopt safe health behaviours that will ultimately improve public health.
The first episode of the season, which was shown at the premiere, held at Alliance Francaise on Friday delved into topics including how to juggle work and exclusive breastfeeding as a new mom for six months before the introduction of other foods, why it’s important to get a malaria test before getting treated, and how people with disabilities can forge a path in the entertainment industry.
The expression on the faces of clients and their emotional excitement exhibited at the site of the celebrity riders was heartwarming and the public would not want to miss these experiences.
Creative Director of Lucky Trip, Mawule Messan, shared the show’s evolution as it originated from the idea of connecting celebrities with their authentic selves to inspire youth.
“Fasten your seatbelts as we go on a wild and entertaining ride across the streets of Accra, Kumasi and Tamale. And we’ll also share educational messages that will shape healthier lives and a brighter future for Ghana,” he said.
