ANF Newsletter July 2024

Hello

Find out why it matters for journalists to tell better stories about Africa, celebrate 10 trailblazing African women, and read a travel essay inspired by J.P. Clark’s poem, Ibadan. 

What’s Happening at Africa No Filter

1. We are advocating for Better Representation to journalists: At the Arewa? exhibition hosted by the Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Arts in Lagos, we engaged with TV, radio, print, and online journalists about the media’s role in crafting positive narratives about Africa. Sentiments ranged from “Media is not out to protect anyone’s interests” to “If we don’t tell stories of our culture, no one else will”. However, there was a consensus that the media holds immense power in shaping societal perceptions through the stories they present by telling stories that maintain citizens' agency and problem-solving spirit, even when reporting challenges; and by emphasizing Solutions Journalism and providing balanced, ethical, and nuanced reporting. Are you a journalist? Check out our story tools for free online certified courses to build your ethical storytelling skills. Join the #BetterRepresentation campaign and tag us @Africanofilter on all platforms.

2. We’re helping filmmakers understand what funders look for: Join the Africa No Filter Academy Presents: How to Get Funded for Your Documentary masterclass to find out what it takes to get funding Presented by Dominic Davis, Manager of the Documentary Fund at Sundance Institute, the masterclass will help you understand how funding decisions are made. It will be hosted by Emmy-nominated producer and award-winning director Olúwáṣeun Babalola. Date: Thursday 25 July 2024. Time: 14:00 GMT. 15:00 WAT. 16:00 SAST. 17:00 EAT. Register here.

3. We were out and about:  We attended the Durban Film Mart, where we spoke about why Africa needs more films that represent a dynamic, evolving and innovative continent. We joined the conversation hosted by Philanthropy Together, titled Narrative Harm to Narrative Power: A Collaborative Giving Imperative for Our Times, to discuss the societal challenges that gave rise to collaboratives that use narrative change as growing strategic priority for funders. We were also at the UN Tourism Regional Conference on Brand Africa to take part in a fireside chat about shifting the narrative of tourism in Africa through creativity and storytelling.

4.We unpacked the Global Media Index with experts: Tune into this YouTube recording of Africa No Filter Presents: A Conversation About How Global Media Covers Africa to hear what Professor Wallace Chuma, the report’s lead researcher; independent multimedia journalist, Neha Wadekar, whose work has been published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Economist, CNN, and TIME; ANF’s advocacy and campaigns lead Abimbola Ogundairo; Nicholas Norbrook, Managing Editor at The Africa Report; and veteran investigative journalist, Beauregard Tromp had to say about findings from the Global Media Index for Africa report. The conversation was moderated by Christine Mungai.

Keeping up with ANF Narrative Champions

1. Stella Tchuisse is paying tribute to the power and influence of African women through the I Want to Be Like Her exhibition in which she impersonates 10 trailblazing African women including Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala,  Alice Nkom, Wangarĩ Maathai, and  Angélique Kidjo.

2. When Uganda’s renowned musician Bobi Wine entered politics in 2017, he had one mission: to disrupt the country's political landscape. He recently launched the National Unity Platform (NUP) School of Leadership in Kampala. Read this story by Afrovibes Media.

3.In his latest essay, To J.P. Clark, On Ibadan, writer and editor Zenas Ubere visited the ancient city of Ibadan as inspired by Clark’s 1956 poem, Ibadan, where the writer and poet lived as a student at the University of Ibadan. 

4. Director, writer, and producer. Oluwaseun Babalola penned an article called Fighting Giants and The Art of The Pivot for Movie Maker magazine to share the lessons learned from her latest project, Fighting Giants, about a mother and daughter who confront their relationship with grief during a visit back to Freetown.

5. Soma Nami Books will be hosting the second edition of the African Book Fair on 6 to 11 August 2024 at the McMillan Memorial Library in Nairobi. The event creates opportunities for writers, publishers, and readers to celebrate the power of storytelling. There will be 10,000 books representing 54 African countries on sale. Find Soma Nami on Instagram and Twitter.

Shifting Narratives
- documenting the narrative progress we’re seeing

The Gambian parliament rejected the bid to overturn 2015 ban on female genital mutilation after religious groups pushed for the legislation to be repealed. Human rights experts called the vote “a testament to the determination and tenacity of Gambian women and girls, women civil society organizations and their allies.”

African countries are making strides in the fight against HIV and AIDS, with a new report by UNAids revealing that most of new HIV infections in 2023 were not in African countries. The number of infections in Africa is now 56% lower than in 2010.

Sierra Leone passed a new law that bans child marriage. According to the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, anyone involved in marriage of a girl aged under 18 years will be sentenced to 15 years in jail or pay a fine of $4,000. 30% of girls in Sierra Leone are married before they turn 18.

That’s it. Remember to follow us on social media at @Africanofilter.

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