Kwanda is a South African reality makeover television series produced by Ochre Moving Pictures, the Soul City Institute, the Department of Social Development and SABC1 in which five communities are given a makeover by community members themselves, at the end of which one community will be awarded a major prize, voted for by viewers.
The series premiered on SABC1 on Wednesday 2 September 2009, at 21h00. New episodes air weekly. There are 13 hour-long episodes in the first season, which culminates in a live finale on Wednesday, 25 November, 2009.
Repeats
Thursdays: 11h00
Synopsis
Kwanda is a community reality show that challenges community members to come up with practical workable solutions for the daily problems they face within their communities.
The purpose of the show is to inspire viewers to take up challenges in their own respective communities.
What if hundreds of volunteers all over the country from the Eastern Cape to Limpopo, began working together to try to make a better life for themselves? What difference could they make?
Could they make sure that children are not going hungry? Could they reduce violent crime that causes so much pain and damage in our lives? Could they make their communities look better, work better and feel better?
On Kwanda: Communities with Soul you will find out.
Kwanda means "wealth" and growth. Produced by the makers of the Soul City drama series, Kwanda is a complete community makeover.
A few months ago, volunteer teams were recruited across South Africa. Since then they’ve been filmed as they work together addressing some of the biggest challenges their communities face.
They’ve been trying to reduce new HIV infections, trying to help orphans and vulnerable children, reduce alcohol abuse and alcohol related violence, generate income and create job opportunities.
The five Kwanda teams are in:
Pefferville, near East London, Eastern Cape
Mthwalume, near Port Shepstone, KZN
Tjakastad, near Barberton, Mpumalanga
Lephephane, near Tzaneen, Limpopo
Kwakwatsi, near Sasolburg, Free State
During the series, audiences will follow the stories of these ordinary people doing some extraordinary things.
And at the end of the series, in a live finale, the television audience will reward the team they believe has made the biggest difference with a major prize.
Each participating community chose 50 participants who underwent five weeks of training in a special learning camp. They learnt new skills and how to organise themselves.
Ten of the participants from each community underwent training in fashion design and sewing, so that they could become part of the Kwanda Klothing project which will be launched during the TV series. Each team also developed a plan for their community.
Kwanda has television teams working in each community following the successes and setbacks of the Kwanda teams as they work to make their dreams a reality.
Kwanda Week
Kwanda Week runs Wednesday, 18 November to Wednesday, 25 November (Live one-hour finale on Wednesday, 25 November 2009) on SABC1.
During this week the audience will vote to decide which team has achieved the most in transforming their own community. That team will receive a major prize.
Episodes
Episode 1
Meet the people of the five Kwanda teams who will compete to improve the lives of those around them. See the challenges they face in their communities – unemployment, teenage pregnancy, HIV, under-age drinking and crime. Not everything goes to plan, but they learn some important lessons.
Episode 2
This week the Kwanda crew are in Kwakwatsi, Free State. Oumaki finds two disabled children in desperate need. Will she be able to help them? And Pulane confronts the team over how they treated her.
Episode 3
In Kwakwatsi, Free State, the Kwanda team find Seun, an eleven year old child who has never been to school. Can they help? And can they turn their sewing enterprise into a profitable business?
Episode 4
In Pefferville, East London, Posia’s friend is raped. The Kwanda team respond and clear a dangerous area where the rape took place. They work with the local police chief. But can they make Pefferville safer?
Episode 5
The Kwanda team in Pefferville are working hard to win a printing contract that will bring much needed funds to this poor and crime-ridden community. But things get tougher when they find that crime is happening inside their own team! Should they punish or forgive?
Episode 6
In Lephephane, Limpopo, the Kwanda team learns it takes a village to raise a child. Tommy discovers what problems alcohol abuse can cause in families. The team confronts the tavern owners on what is to be done.
Episode 7
The Kwanda team in Lephephane, Limpopo decide that OneLove is best. They take on the sugar daddies that are endangering young girls’ lives. But will the men listen?
Episode 8
In Mthwalume, KwaZulu Natal, 12 children from the village have died in road accidents. The team take action to prevent more deaths and they bring in social workers when they find an elderly women in need of help.
Episode 9
The Kwanda team in Mthwalume, KwaZulu Natal, responds when three workers die in a building accident at their school. The team also faces a crisis within when they report their chairperson for stealing. What will happen to Olwethu?
Episode 10
In Tjakastad, in Mpumalanga, the Kwanda team elects Themba, one of the town’s most feared gangsters, as their leader. Is this a smart move? They call the gangs together for the first time in eight years. Will they come?
Episode 11
The Kwanda team in Tjakastad, Mpumalanga start street patrols to make their community safer. It’s a complete turn around for Themba the ex-gangster. But will the people from his area accept him back after the pain he’s caused them in the past?
Episode 12
It’s Kwanda Week and it’s your turn to decide which team has done the most to make their community look better, work better and feel better. We go back to each team and see how much more work they’ve done since we saw them last.
Episode 13
In this live final show of the Kwanda series, we bring the teams together and finally find out which team has won the Kwanda audience prize.
Production Team
Series Executive Producer
Anton Burrggraaf
Executive Producer
Gavin Andersson
Executive Producer
Indra de Lanerolle
Executive Producer
Lebogang Ramafoko
Kwanda Manager
Antoinette Ntuli