Lydiah Mugure, founder of Naota Studio, conducting an animation training at CDEA
CDEA’s Audiovisual Incubator and Accelerator Initiative, cohort of 2022-2023, was implemented in partnership with Ladima Foundation, a not-for-profit organization set up to support and develop Women in Film in Africa, established under the laws of South Africa in 2018 and Zanzibar in 2021 and Kwetu International Animation Film Festival (KIAFF), being an international animation film festival and duly registered in Tanzania in 2019.
CDEA’s Audiovisual Incubator and Accelerator Initiative areas of collaboration with the Ladima Foundation and Kwetu International Animation Film Festival (KIAFF) were:
- Animation training for women in Tanzania for East African Women (Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda)
- Incubate and accelerate programme for women in animation in East Africa
Following on from the successful Let Your Voices Roar Animation Training in East Africa, CDEA, in partnership with the Ladima Foundation, selected five women selected to take part in the six-month incubator namely: Nsile James Uiso (Dar es Salaam, Tanzania), Ruth Nazzinda (Kampala, Uganda), Adelaide Barnabas Jachi (Dar es Salaam, Tanzania), Zuwena Hamad Othman (Zanzibar, Tanzania), and Gwantwa Lucas Mwakalinga (Dar es Salaam, Tanzania).
The training was run by award-winning, British-born Ghanaian animator, illustrator and visual artist, African Animation Network’s Comfort Arthur along with Kenyan animator, game developer and the founder of Naota Studios – a digital arts company focused on developing fun and interactive content featuring the rich history of Africa –Lydiah Mugure Mwangi. These five women excelled at the incubation phase and were awarded each of them with a laptop by the Ladima Foundation as they transition into acceleration phase of the programme.
This incubation and acceleration phase of the Let Your Voices Roar programme was made possible with a grant from Ignite Culture: ACP-EU Culture Programme (Eastern Africa). This fund is being implemented by HEVA Fund, in partnership with the British Council Kenya, with the financial contribution of the European Union and with further support from the Organisation of ACP (African, Caribbean and Pacific) States – part of the global ACP-EU Culture Programme.
This animation incubator is just one of the initiatives of CDEA’s audiovisual Incubator Initiative. CDEA works through partnerships and will provide screen writers with the following skills: script development, co-creation, mentorship and preparing of film pitch decks for potential investors, producers, and other industry professionals.
In the near future, CDEA will aim at promoting decent work for screen writers by enabling them to form writers’ guilds that will allow screen writers in East African countries to have social dialogue with producers on issues relating to economic and social rights.