In Partnership with the National Authorising Office and funded by the European Union, the Humanitarian Association of Artist Advocacy Network Domain Africa has on Thursday 30th November 2023 at the Ernest Bai Koroma University of Science and Technolgy in the Northern City of Makeni started a nine-day training for ten youths and aspiring filmmakers on filming and media for peace.

The initiative, according to the Project Coordinator, Papa Edwin Shaw, is to harness the power of storytelling and filmmaking for social change and to raise awareness about the human and environmental consequences of unchecked causes of gender-based violence and depression as a result of climate change.

Throughout the training, Shaw said, participants will be opportune to amplify their voices to share impactful narratives and contribute to building a more harmonious society.

“Media is a powerful tool for promoting understanding, empathy, and unity. And empowering individual participants with the skills needed to create meaningful films mostly on the impact of gender-based violence is what the training is all about,” Shaw stated.

The organization, he said is fostering a community of storytellers who can inspire positive impact and contribute to building lasting peace and harmony in communities.

The training, he said is also currently ongoing in Kenema, Eastern Sierra Leone.

“We’re thrilled to announce this groundbreaking initiative in the realm of media and filmmaking,” he said.

He noted that their collaboration with the National Authorising Office and the funding from the European Union makes the initiative possible.

“Together, we’re creating a platform for creativity, dialogue, and transformation,” the Coordinator explained.

And we call on the participants to be attentive and focused on embarking on this cinematic journey together,” he said.

During this educative session, the participants would be trained to operate different types of cameras and write and edit stories that would help create change in society.

One of the participants, Dusu Bah Conteh, an aspiring actress and a Student at the University of Makeni described the training as timely and interactive.

After nine days of extensive training, she said they are going to begin writing stories and produce films that would create awareness of climate change and its negative effects of gender-based violence.

Just the first day of the session, she noted that they had learned a lot of things about filmmaking and the use of the camera. She urges the other participants to make use of the opportunity for sustainable development.

The trainers are experts in movies and the use of the camera.