Hey Subscriber First Name!

We’re only three months into 2025, and there’s already so much happening! From our first Expedition Filmmaking Workshop in Kavango, Namibia, an ongoing photo competition, to the anticipated Kili Kids Climate Festival. There’s a lot to share—and we don’t want you to miss a thing.

In February, we kicked off our first Expedition Filmmaking Workshop of the year in collaboration with The Great Spine of Africa and Kavango Wilderness Project. With guidance from experienced mentors Jigar Ganatra and Frank Papushka, our international mentees dived into hands-on training in filming, editing, and storytelling.

Our talented participants—Venâncio Guerra (Angola), Absalom Bobby (Namibia), Charity Mutumbwa (Namibia), Legodile Kemong (Botswana), and Neo Lorato (Botswana)—have made five short films telling stories from the Kavango region, blending culture, nature, and personal perspectives.

Curious to see their work? Stay tuned to our social media channels—you won’t want to miss these incredible stories.

Step together with us into the heart of the Hadzabe community and see what it takes to bring authentic Indigenous stories to life. Together with the Great Spine of Africa, we hosted a storytelling workshop at the Hadza media center in Yaeda Valley, where five African filmmakers collaborated with five Hadzabe photographers to preserve ancestral wisdom and traditional ecological knowledge of the Hadzabe people.

Through the powerful stories that emerged—stories of arrow-making, traditional food foraging, and forest conservation told by the Hadzabe people themselves. None of this would have been possible without the dedication of our mentors, filmmakers, and most importantly, the Hadzabe storytellers who shared their voices.

We invite you to go behind the scenes take a closer look at the energy, teamwork, and dedication that made this program a success.

Earlier this year, we hosted a special workshop at our headquarters in Arusha with Ben Patwa, a globally recognized expert in mentoring creatives and entrepreneurs. Attended by 22 people, including our alumni and invited guests, this full-day session solely focused on taking up their careers to the next level. Ben covered essential topics like branding, marketing, packaging, and business growth, giving our storytellers the tools to turn their ideas into thriving projects. 

"The most important thing that I learned is really getting to understand your client and what their needs are. Most of the time, we articulate what we can offer but lose track of what the client really needs." Noel Kileo, film fixer from Notice Kilimanjaro.

Together with GreenManjaro, we are excited to be running a continent-wide photography competition, “Climate through Young Eyes," supported by the Pulitzer Center. It is aimed at inspiring Africans to take action for the planet. This free competition invites photographers to submit images reflecting how children perceive and engage with environmental conservation and climate care. 

Show us how the next generation is working towards a greener, healthier planet and stand a chance to win up to $1,000 cash prizes, get your work published, featured in our social media platforms and showcased at the Kili Kids Climate Festival in Tanzania.

Want to join in? Learn more and submit your photos here.

Our alumni are progressively making impacts and reaching global stages. Zinyange Anthony’s short film, Vacuum, created during the storytelling expedition program, has recently been awarded the Award of Excellence in the 82nd Picture of the Year International in the category of Documentary Daily short film. 

Such achievements highlight the importance of mentoring emerging African filmmakers—equipping them with the skills and platforms to share authentic stories that resonate globally. We remain committed to empowering the next generation of storytellers across the continent

Additionally, Children of Honey (Olanakwe Sa Ba’alako), a feature documentary in development being produced in collaboration with the Hadzabe community, won the Storyboard Impact Award, securing a 10,000 Swiss Franc pitch prize during the 'Impact Days' program at the Geneva International Film Festival and Forum of Human Rights (FIFDH). Only two weeks later, the very same Impact Campaign brought home another award - $5,000 Impact Grant as part of DocA’s Real Reel Impact (RRI) Project, courtesy of Documentary Africa and DOCUBOX. Thanks to the Children Of Honey Impact Producers Simona Nickmanova and Ezekiel Reuben Mathayo for pioneering such a robust campaign that will empower Hadza people to preserve their cultural heritage as they navigate the tension between maintaining traditional ways and adapting to modern life.

Both of these prizes will support the AFRISOS Hadzabe Media Center, that ensures the Hadza community can lead their own digital storytelling initiatives and share their story with the world, on their own terms.

Additionally, Children of Honey (Olanakwe Sa Ba’alako), a feature documentary in development being produced in collaboration with the Hadzabe community, won the Storyboard Impact Award, securing a 10,000 Swiss franc pitch prize during the 'Impact Days' program at the Geneva International Film Festival and Forum of Human Rights (FIFDH). AFRISOS also received a $5,000 Impact Grant as part of DocA’s Real Reel Impact (RRI) Project, courtesy of Documentary Africa and DOCUBOX. This award was presented during the Doc Day: Impact Edition (East Africa) at Baraza Media Lab, a dynamAic documentary film pitch event that brought together filmmakers, impact producers, and changemakers to harness the power of film for social transformation.

Both prizes will support the Hadzabe media center, helping to preserve their cultural heritage as they navigate the tension between maintaining traditional ways and adapting to modern life.

If you’d like to support our mission and help us continue empowering young storytellers across Africa, please donate or reach out to us at hello@afrisos.ngo to find out how to get involved.

Warmly,

The AFRISOS Team