AMAA goes to Malawi‏

Malawi is the home of the 2013 Africa Movie Academy Awards Nomination Night. This event holds on the 15th and 16th of March 2013.

The Africa Film Academy Training program'Film in A Box' will precede the AMAA Nominations and commence on the 1st of March 2013.

As I journey around Africa, I am amazed at what the continent has to offer. My recent visit to Malawi was a shear delight. A country of just over 15 million people and considered relatively poor, what I saw was a well ordered environment, breath taking sceneries, a warm and friendly people, a country with so much potential. I went to Malawi because I believed it was time to help develop and nurture the small creative industries that strive in that country.

Malawi has immense potential as a filmmaking destination with similar landscape to Cape Town. Can Malawi be another Nollywood? Surely. I see a'Malawood' springing up in the not too distant future. Why? The population of Malawian youths who are passionate about entertainment and creativity is quite significant. I was impressed with the raw creative energy and enthusiasm of those I interacted with.

The Africa Film Academy will be offering training to about 500 people who wish to learn filmmaking for two weeks from the 1st to the 14th of March 2013. The training is free. The trainees will only have to register with the sum of 1000 Mk which is the equivalent of $2.50.

If you are a filmmaker with the skills to teach in any area of filmmaking be it script writing, directing, producing, acting, set designing, production design, editing, sound engineering, etc and would be willing to come help us develop this budding film industry, we would appreciate your contributing your time and talent by joining us in Malawi.

I also would take the opportunity to ask for donations of equipment. As active filmmakers, I am aware that most of us have gear we are not using or have not used for a while.

We do need filming equipment, as we would love to set up a studio for the Malawi film Association. This will help stimulate the growth of the industry and will give it the much-needed boost to grow the industry.

Whilst in Malawi, I discovered the great work being done by the President of Malawi Her Excellency Mrs. Joyce Banda in promoting maternal safe birth for women and children in her country. Under this initiative clinics and pre birth homes are being built so that rural women can be close to a clinic. This brings medical care close to the grassroots thereby limiting the number of deaths that can occur as a result of pregnancy and childbirth. Her Excellency also protects the African child by giving out scholarships and support to families that cannot afford to educate their children.

I found it inspiring that Her Excellency was actively involved in maternal welfare before she became president of Malawi by providence. I became aware of this project whilst driving to different locations on my visit to this beautiful African country.

This discovery made me decide to recommend for approval to the Board of the African Film Academy that the AMAA Platform adopt Safe Maternal Care and well being of the African Child as the charity that AMAA will support in 2013 by trying to raise enough funds to help her build more of these safe houses. I am pleased to report that the Board approved my recommendation.

We will also endeavor to see that the clinic and safe home projects can be replicated in other African countries. The cost of a clinic and safe house range between 50,000-100,000 United States dollars depending on the location.

We (the African Film Academy) and I would like to appeal for your support for this initiative as well as our Film in a box project for Malawi.

We will appreciate, donations and purchase of AMAA merchandise that will be used to promote the projects. I thank you for your kind contributions and wish one and all the best of 2013.

Look forward to hearing from you,