AWF Launches Call for Submissions for ACV Phone-Based Storytelling Lab

(NAIROBI, KENYA — March 9, 2023) The African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) and the Kevin Richardson Foundation (KRF) have announced the call for submissions for the African Conservation Voices (ACV) phone-based storytelling lab. The initiative is open to all African storytellers, photographers, and content creators between the ages of 18-25 years from Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe to share conservation stories from their unique perspectives.

The selection criteria that will be used to shortlist the three best stories from every country will include the best photo that demonstrates technical prowess; the best story that highlights unique access or a unique perspective; and the story with the highest engagement.

Nashipae Orumoy, the Director of Strategic Communications & Marketing at AWF, emphasized the importance of elevating historically underrepresented African voices and perspectives in conservation. Citing projections by the GSM Association Sub-Saharan Mobile economy report, 66 percent of the projected 623 million unique mobile users on the African continent would have access to a smartphone; she added that the program has been designed to circumvent the prohibitively priced storytelling equipment by training the youth to use the tools already in their hands — their phones.

The program will consist of 30 fellows (three individuals from each country) who will partake in online workshops led by industry professionals on conservation storytelling techniques, photography techniques, and social media management. They will also receive a storytelling grant and stand a chance to win 1 of 10 content creation packs worth US $1000 each.

Rodney Nombekana, KRF Director, mentioned that placing the power of conservation and wildlife storytelling in the hands of local youth is imperative to finding relevant and community-based solutions to the challenges facing Africa’s threatened wildlife. He expressed that KRF is thrilled to support AWF in this incredibly important and exciting initiative.

To enter the competition, participants must be between the ages of 18 and 25, post a picture depicting a conservation story in one of the landscapes indicated above on your Instagram profile and tag AWF on @africanwildlifefoundation while using the following hashtags: #ACVPhoneBasedLab, #AfricanVoices, Your Country of Origin, i.e., #Tanzania, and #KevinRichardsonFoundation. The submission deadline for applications is Friday, April 14, 2023. The winners will be contacted for the commencement of the training in May 2023.

About Kevin Richardson Foundation

The Kevin Richardson Foundation is a non-profit conservation organisation with nature’s most majestic creature, the lion, at its heart. Launched in early 2018 the foundation is committed to changing and reversing the state of Africa’s declining lion population by purchasing habitat and raising awareness to create safe, natural spaces where lions and other native species can flourish. By partnering with specialised organisations and engaging with impoverished communities on the fringes of these protected areas, the foundation also aims to minimise human/wildlife conflict whilst improving living conditions for local villages.

About African Wildlife Foundation

The African Wildlife Foundation is the primary advocate for the protection of wildlife and their habitats as an essential part of a modern and prosperous Africa. Founded in 1961 during the African independence movement in order to build our capacity to steward our natural resources, AWF articulates a uniquely African vision, bridging science, education, public policy, and field programs to demonstrate the benefits of conservation and build a future for Africa where people and wildlife thrive.

MEDIA CONTACTS: For more information, contact Wambui Odhiambo of AWF in Nairobi, Kenya at wodhiambo@awf.org