If we trusted our bodies, how far could we go?
From the ‘Brown Girls That SCUBA’ movement all the way through to ‘Black Mermaids’- African representation (throughout the diaspora) has been recolouring the recreational and professional dive industries. So, what happens when you’ve been diving just a little more for ten (10) years - would being called an athlete feel out-of-body? NEWF fellow Megan-Rose grapples with this very reality as we speak.
What does the Africa you dream of look like?
Recently, Dr.Aristide Takoukam Kamla and eight (8) prospective open water SCUBA divers from Cameroon, Ghana and Senegal were welcomed to eKhaya Storytelling and Research Centre in Sodwana Bay. From London where just on Wednesday he accepted a highly acclaimed Whitley Award for Nature, we spoke about everything from finding his purpose on the waters of Lake Ossa, to a small Weevil giving it the chance to breathe again - and how together it has paved the way for a career rooted deeply in Cameroon's coastal communities.
In Retrospect: #NEWF2024 Fellows Summit and Congress
#NEWF2024 is a whirlwind that starts our community's year and sets it on a busy course to bring ideas to life and keep the momentum created through networking, inspired dialogue and interactive learning at large. But this year was different. Word on the street is that it was our best yet - and from our side we are working towards even more positive growth.
When last did a film from Africa make you feel like you belong?
Authentic storytelling is a vital tool for restoring pride to African peoples' relationship with nature, and closer to home, the sense of identity and belonging held deeply within. Recognising this, the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) invited filmmakers to submit proposals for a short documentary film that speaks to people and their connection to the environment and wildlife.
eKhaya: We are HOME
Our mission has always been to create strong communities for storytellers, conservationists, and scientists to help each other grow and take up space. At NEWF, we have watched this community grow from one group of fellows pitching their films in 2017, to more than 200 fellows from more than 25 African countries. If only these walls could talk!