African Conservation Voices Media Labs are a partnership between the African Wildlife Foundation and Jackson Wild, designed to provide mentorship and skill-building to early career African conservation filmmakers. Each media lab includes virtual sessions and hands-on, field-based shoots and results in small teams producing a short film. Six films produced in 2022 premiered in Austria at the Jackson Wild Summit, September 26-30, where our fellows spoke about their experiences.
"By telling authentic conservation stories, we can use our voices to speak up for nature, wildlife, and communities co-existing with nature."
Martha Mutiso, 2021 Kenya Media Labs Fellow
2022 Films
Judith: Porter, Protector, Pioneer
Tracy Keza, Modeste Ndayishimiye, Cedric Ujeneza
Meet the first female ever to become a porter in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park; Judith broke boundaries to emerge as both a passionate protector of the endangered mountain gorilla and a revered role model in her community.
The Last Hunt
Grace Linti, Martha Mutiso, Peter Ndung’u, Jonathan Odongo
Once locked away for years for the crime of wildlife poaching, Moses has transformed his life into a force for good, now using his skills and stories to fight for the conservation of Kenya’s iconic wild animals.
Chasing the Golden Monkey
Fiston Ishimwe, Raymond Tiff Kalisa, David Kwizera, Nailla Simbi
A boy who grew up in the shadow of Volcanoes National Park is now the first scientist ever to come to know the park’s least-known primate – the beautiful and charismatic golden monkey.
Saving the Vulture: One Man’s Quest
Samuel Thuku Kamau, Rachel Wambui
A young man from the Maasai community has become a fierce guardian of the vulture, working tirelessly to protect the future of this often disregarded but increasingly endangered animal.
Weight Of Water: The Story Of Athenasie
Alain Patrick Hirwa, Jean Claude Dusabimana, Manzi Benjamin
Athenasie saw a problem in her rural Rwandan village and took charge, implementing groundbreaking change in her community in order to put kids back in school and money in people’s pockets.
Agent of Change
Kennedy Ole Kariuki, Felixie Kipng'etich, Marete Selvin
Mako once wondered why he should let wild animals live on Maasai community land, but had a change of heart, becoming a respected elder now fighting to preserve tradition while also saving the wildlife that he now sees as his people’s greatest treasure.
The 2021-2022 Program
Kenya Fellows
Virtual Sessions: March to May 2021
Field workshop: Maasai Mara, May 2022
- Neville Agesa
- Dylan Habil
- Dianah Jim
- Daniel Kaburu
- Samuel Thuku Kamau
- Mashirima Kapombe
- Karim Kara
- Kennedy Kariuki
- Shazaad Kasmani
- Felixie Kipng'etich
- Dibblex Lesalon
- Grace Linti
- George Mimano
- Janeserah Mukundi
- Martha Mutiso
- Mwikali Ndambo
- Peter Ndung’u
- Kiki Ng'ok
- Jonathan Odongo
- Kefa Oluoch
- Maurice Oniang'o
- Castor Rotich
- Norah Rotich
- Marete Selvin
- Martin Shungoh
- Rachel Wambui
Rwanda Fellows
Virtual Sessions: October to December 2021
Field workshop: Volcanoes National Park, May 2022
- Manzi Benjamin
- Jean Claude Dusabimana
- Isaac Dusengumuremyi
- Alain Patrick Hirwa
- Fiston Ishimwe
- Raymond Tiff Kalisa
- Tracy Keza
- David Kwizera
- Modeste Ndayishimiye
- Pacifique Niyibizi
- Nailla Simbi
- Cedric Ujeneza
Our Mentors
- Pamela A. Aguilar
- Aneeta Akhurst
- Kim Butts
- Mark Deeble
- Adam Dylewski
- Gabrielle E. Ewing
- Jacqueline Farmer
- Fred Fougea
- Jorge Franzini
- Ariel Gakunga
- Georgina Goodwin
- Blythe Haaga
- Noel Kok
- David Lee
- James Manfull
- Kisilu Musya
- Susan Norton
- Candice Odgers
- Etienne Oliff
- Pragna Parsotam-Kok
- Julie Rooney
- Lisa Samford
- Katie Schuler
- Vanessa Serrao
- Jo Shinner
- Victoria Stone
- Kaddu Sebunya
- Edwin Tambara
- Lisa Truitt
- John Wambugu
- Emily Wanja
- Fiesta Warinwa
- Maria Wilhelm
- Ellen Windemuth
- Letilet Yenko
- Andrew Young
Sponsored by:
With generous support from:
