Participants in a British Council reality TV show in Ghana have made a real impact with their videos on controversial topics such as sanitation and service delivery in Accra, Ghana.

“The Challenge 2007” was an innovative reality TV series conceptualised by British Council’s education portal Education UK, in partnership with cellular network Tigo, University of Westminster and CharterHouse Ghana. Winners Jojo Quansah, Nana Twum-Barima and Seth Miah, each won a full-tuition scholarship for one-year of postgraduate study provided by University of Westminster, including flights to the UK, accommodation and a monthly allowance.

The competition saw 12 university graduates compete against each other in a series of tests and quizzes on management, leadership and UK and Ghana trivia. The finalists received professional development training before the competition. The competition was broadcast as an unscripted reality TV show, and contestants were judged by a panel of academics and business people as well as by the public via SMS votes.

British Council in Ghana staff member Felixia Nyame writes that a short video made by a team of contestants has made a significant impact on community members who have been avidly watching the show. The team, called SLOAN, included winners Mia and Barima, as well as participants Lisboa Quarshie and Joan Tsorhe.

Writes Nyame on The Challenge website: “When the SLOAN production team decided to do a story on market sanitation for their creativity task, little did they anticipate the impact this 10-minute video would have on the community of Madina in Accra.

“The documentary itself carried very powerful visuals of a typical open market in urban Ghana; in this case the Madina market located in north-east Accra. The film footage captured by SLOAN for broadcast as part of the task was of choked gutters in very disturbing proximity to food vendors, dilapidated toilet facilities, ineffective and inefficient waste-disposal systems; and what was really evident in the video was the manner in which buyers and sellers and market authorities carried on with a ‘business-as-usual’ attitude, seemingly oblivious to the health risks posed by the unsanitary conditions.

“Seth Mia, who wrote the script, says: ‘We knew at the beginning that this was an issue that had received a lot of attention without any identified change or impact. We therefore decided to adopt a new strategy of using the stakeholders, that is, buyers, sellers and market authorities, as our main characters to describe the problems and prescribe solutions to improve sanitation’.

“Tsorhe, who directed the video, adds: ‘We wanted the video to conclude on a very strong note, that is why we alluded to Ghana's low life expectancy as being caused by some of these unsanitary practices’.

“With all these ingredients going into a ten-minute video, it came as little surprise that SLOAN’s production was judged the best for the week’s task, with the judges paying tribute to the cinematography skills of Lisboa, who was in charge of continuity, and Nana Afia, the production manager.

“However, as later events were to unfold, it was too soon to call it wraps. Folks on the challenge waited to see if the expected effect of attitudinal change would take really place, after all that is what the task was all about. They didn’t have to wait too long, because three weeks after the documentary aired, early signs indicated the market was on its way back to normal.

“The adjacent car park which had been taken over by illegal hawkers to effectively become an annex to the market, was cleared of all traders as reconstruction work began.

“The car park is now taking shape with pavement blocks providing a more welcoming appearance to the market entrance. That is not all, there are more refuse containers, the abattoir is in better shape now, and the general sanitation has improved.

“The video obviously has had an impact on sanitation in the market. According to Mia, he was told by a friend at church to visit the Madina market since a change was taking place. ‘When I got here I was surprised, there were pavement blocks all over, cars were parked in an orderly manner... it seemed too good to be true! So I went to the K.V.I.P section and realised the place was cleaner, even though some tomato sellers were still too close to the toilet facility. There were more containers... it was a pleasant surprise, and I felt good about it, considering the part I played in the change’.

“Some of the traders were quick to point out that the video had an immediate impact. Others assert that there were plans to 'sanitise' the market but The Challenge reality show fast-tracked it.

“Many patrons of the market are hoping this will not be a nine-day wonder, a sentiment Tsorhe shares. ‘I hope they continue to improve on the sanitary conditions in the market, because the lives of many people depend on it’.

“Seth Mia adds: ‘As I was walking through the market I realised that even though there was a significant change in sanitation, personal hygiene is still a concern. Some sellers were selling too close to the place of convenience. But I am confident that if other people keep sending the same message, we will arrive at a super-clean market, which can be showcased as a model for other markets in Ghana’.

What began as just another task on The Challenge has surely come a long way.”

When the three winners successfully complete their postgraduate degrees and return to Ghana, only Jojo Chartei Quansah will receive a car and take up management positions at either Zenith Bank or Tigo in Ghana, and continue as international ambassadors for the University of Westminster.

Read more about The Challenge and its participants on the official website.