Unemployed Mombasa youth to receive training to tap into Africa’s film industry

Graduates

Unemployed youth in Mombasa will be engaged in innovative income-generating activities with beneficiaries receiving training in various areas.

Photo credit: File | Fotosearch

About 600 out-of-school and unemployed youth in Mombasa county will benefit from a film and audiovisual training that seeks to tap into Africa’s film industry.

The underserved youth will be drawn from the county and connected with employment opportunities through the Swahili Hub Foundation, a community space for nurturing youth talent and skills in technology, creatives, arts and heritage.

The 2-year program will help the youth engage in innovative income-generating activities with the selected beneficiaries set to receive training in areas including Film and TV Production, Video Production, Digital Journalism, Music Production, Sound Engineering and Graphic Design.

The program revolves around the creation of creative skills as an enabler of Africa’s growing digital economy.

“The solution to unemployment must go beyond short-term fixes. This will require sustained investments in market-relevant training to give our youth the chance to use their skills to thrive in an increasingly digital world,” said Dr Laila Macharia, Africa Digital Media Institute (ADMI) Director. The program is a partnership between ADMI and Global Opportunity Youth Network.

The training is expected to increase access to new and existing markets, foster job creation, and facilitate cross-border trading.

According to UNESCO report, The African Film Industry: Trends, Challenges and Opportunities for Growth, the film and audiovisual industries in Africa have the potential to generate 20 million jobs and contribute $20 billion to the continent's GDP.

However, it adds, these industries are currently underutilized, employing only 5 million people and accounting for $5 billion in GDP across the continent.