Film Archives - Jive Media Africa

Documentary, Film, Media & Film, Media Production

UNISA’s Distinguished Professors: Beyond the equations

The context

Science is a major part of our lives, yet the people behind it often remain unseen. Research institutions such as UNISA are home to brilliant minds tackling humanity’s biggest challenges, but their work is too often only communicated through data and technical jargon—losing the human element that makes it truly impactful and making it hard to connect with the public on complex issues.

Fresh insight

People connect with people, not just equations.

Fresh idea

We partnered with UNISA to create Voices of Excellence, a series that highlights the people driving scientific discovery. Professors James Chibueze, Igor Gorlach, Mokhotjwa Simon Dhlamini and many more welcomed us into their labs, sharing not just their research but the personal experiences that fuel their passion.

Fresh impact

Voices of Excellence brought visibility to UNISA’s top researchers but also reinforced the university’s investment in the future of African science.

Great stories deserve great storytellers. Let’s work together.

Prof James Chibueze – Astrophysicist

Prof Igor Gorlach – Automotive Niche Area

Prof Charles Mbohwa – Bioenergy and 4IR

Prof Mokhotjwa Dhlamini – Aeronautics and Aviation

Prof Titus Msagati – Marine Sciences and Environmental Biotech

Prof Mkhulu Mathe – Energy Research

Prof Bakang Mothudi – Material Science and Energy Research

May 12, 2025/by Emily Latt

Film, Media & Film, Media Production

A film about pioneering work in community engagement

The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) lives the spirit of ‘engaged research’ at their Sweetwaters office in kwaMpumuza, South Africa. Jive Media Africa is proud to have produced a film that showcases the HSRC’s Sweetwaters site. Here, in the heart of Kwa-Zulu Natal, the HSRC undertakes ground-breaking research and society-led development efforts from within the Mpumuza community. The film serves as a communication tool which the HSRC can use to help them share their experiences and learnings with the wider research community.

“Thanks Jive Media! It was a lot of fun making this short film showcasing our work over the past 10 years in the Sweetwaters community.” – Dr Heidi van Rooyen: Executive Director, HSRC Sweetwaters

“We enjoyed working with you at our office and in our community. I strongly believe that everybody working with Jive, you leave them smiling, like us. Keep up the good work. It is easy and joyful working with you and I hope that we will meet again very soon. Thank you so much.” Sifiso Qwabe: Project Facilitator, HSRC Sweetwaters

Find out more about the HSRC Sweetwaters office here

October 6, 2017/by Jive Media

Animations, Comics, Film, Media & Film, Media Production, Public Engagement

Creating interactive media for CHAT (Community Health-worker Assistive Technology)

Jive Media Africa was privileged to develop interactive media for the Community Health worker Assistive Technology (CHAT) project – an innovative mHealth initiative in KZN, SA. This project was pioneered by Prof Lisa Butler, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Prof Jim Slotta, University of Toronto, and Thandanani Children’s Foundation (Pietermaritzburg, SA) and Jive Media Africa.

We used various media including animation and video to assist community health workers to impart crucial health messaging to impoverished South African households. These health workers are part of existing programmes administered by non-governmental organisations, such as Thandanani Children’s Foundation, serving households in communities around Pietermaritzburg. The digital media created by Jive Media Africa will be delivered via a tablet computer, and will foster meaningful discussions about health topics between the health workers and caregivers in the households.

View the media focussing on child health (birth to 5 years) on the following topics:

(The videos are all in isiZulu with English subtitles)

View an ‘explainer’ video here:

September 13, 2016/by Jive Media

Documentary, Film, Media & Film, Media Production

Visual storytelling for Dlalanathi

Jive Media Africa is proud of these short films/ documentaries that tell the stories of some of the community members whom Dlalanathi supports (an NGO providing psychosocial support for children through play by training and supporting caregivers).

Mr & Mrs Gwala – Families healing families

Dlalanathi – Mr & Mrs Gwala – Families healing families from Dlalanathi on Vimeo.

Building The Road – Youth changing preceptions of youth

Dlalanathi – Building The Road – Youth changing preceptions of youth from Dlalanathi on Vimeo.

Gogo’s story – Healing through play

Dlalanathi – Gogo’s story – Healing through play from Dlalanathi on Vimeo.

January 31, 2016/by Jive Media

Documentary, Film, Media & Film, Media Production

Paediatric HIV Disclosure Intervention in Uganda

The Power of Knowing – Experiences of Youth and Caregivers with Paediatric HIV Disclosure.

Jive Africa was once again honoured to be working with Dr Lisa Butler from Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School. We have produced an educational documentary and a training course to support caregivers through a process of disclosing to the children in their care.

We were awarded funding from the Boston Children’s Hospital’s Aerosmith Fund for HIV Care and Prevention to support the expansion of our educational film, The Power of Knowing to a fuller length documentary which we have developed for sharing with a global audience.

Paediatric HIV disclosure refers to the process of communicating to a child/children that he or she is infected with HIV.

While HIV care and treatment programs for children are expanding throughout sub-Saharan Africa, a growing challenge facing health providers and caregivers is disclosure of HIV serostatus to infected children. Disclosure is an integral part of accepting and living with the disease and in accessing and sustaining HIV medical care and treatment.

Dr Lisa Butler, in collaboration with Dr. Philippa Musoke (Makerere University-Johns Hopkins University Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda) and Dr. Rachel King (University of California San Francisco), is conducting a study to evaluate the effectiveness of a caregiver-and child-focused cognitive-behavioral intervention on improving rates of disclosure to children and to evaluate the short and longer term effects of disclosure and non-disclosure on children.

November 15, 2015/by Jive Media