BW’s first sitcom hits TV screens
Katlego Isaacs | Sunday May 15, 2022 06:00
The show features Isago Molefe as Rafiwa, a young radio show host that discusses the antics of her energetic and quirky teenage years. Rafiwa's teenage years revolve around adjusting to moving in with her upbeat extended family as she enters a new chaotic secondary school after her mother leaves for the city to attend to legal battles. Molefe acts alongside Arona Masoso and Tshegofatso Monyika who play Rafiwa's cousins, Seneo and Minkie. The teen actors perform alongside various local veteran performers under the guidance of seasoned producers.
'Sure Ka Rafiwa' executive director, Gaone Manatong, expressed that this Disneyesque TV series is set to tap into a younger Btv audience that is starved of light-hearted relatable content.
"More often than not local content is more dramatic and heavy to watch. It's not something a lot of young people want to sit down and enjoy. We talked to our Sky Girls partners to find out what they were interested in watching and they said, 'light-hearted comedy,'" Manatong said.
"We spent hours thinking about how to package the show to make sure it was relatable and funny but not absurd and overly expensive to produce," she said.
Manatong further expressed that the show was created to depict suburban Gaborone culture that blends English and Setswana, falling into Western trends while still trying to maintain their cultural habits within their own family much like a normal young Gaborone resident would.
In association with Sky Girls, the show also propagates principles associated with the Sky Girls' sisterhood such as solidarity, being true to oneself, and maintaining healthy lifestyle practices. Lead actress Molefe expressed that her character demonstrates what it means to be a Sky Girl that is adjusting to the pressures of teenage life.
"The biggest thing about Rafiwa is that she is always true to herself. She has to deal with many influences and peer pressure from her friends and family much like us, but she always learns the most important thing is to always know who you are," Molefe said.
The show was produced in partnership with Sky Girls BW, The Dialogue Group, Brand IQ, and Ambleside Productions, among others. It has created employment for 40 Batswana while unearthing untapped local acting talent.
This first of its kind sitcom is paving the way for Batswana to create more independent films. Meanwhile, Btv is set to announce the show's premiere soon, with 13 half-hour-long 'Sure Ka Refiwa' episodes slated to air once every week.