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Seeds of Cinema Launches Regional Youth Conservation Programme in KAZA TFCA and KTP
8 July 2026
Young conservation leaders from across Southern Africa gathered in Kasane, Botswana, from 8–12 June 2026 for the inaugural Seeds of Cinema Sunbox Screenings Training Workshop, marking the launch of an innovative partnership between Sunshine Cinema and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) to strengthen community engagement within the Kavango-Zambezi (KAZA) Transfrontier Conservation Area and the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (KTP).
The 12-month pilot programme uses Africa's first solar-powered mobile cinema, the Sunbox, to bring conservation films and facilitated community dialogue to rural communities living within and adjacent to Transfrontier Conservation Areas. By combining African storytelling with participatory discussion, the programme aims to raise awareness of biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, human-wildlife coexistence and sustainable livelihoods while empowering young people as local conservation champions.
Hosted at Wild View Resort in Kasane, the workshop brought together twelve youth facilitators from Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe. Originally designed for eight participants with support from the German Government and the European union, the programme was expanded through additional support from National Geographic and Disney Africa, enabling more young leaders to participate and increasing the programme's reach across the region.
Over five days, participants received intensive practical training in community film facilitation, conservation communication, documentary storytelling, digital media production, photography, safeguarding, and the operation of Sunshine Cinema's mobile solar-powered cinema equipment. The workshop also encouraged participants to exchange experiences from their respective conservation landscapes, exploring common challenges and opportunities facing communities living alongside wildlife.
A key component of the programme is its emphasis on dialogue rather than simply screening films. Each community event is designed to create a safe and inclusive space where local residents can reflect on environmental issues, share lived experiences and explore community-driven solutions to conservation challenges.
Following the workshop, all twelve facilitators will be enrolled in the online University of Cape Town's Film Impact Screening Facilitator Short Course, further strengthening their facilitation skills. Upon successful completion, participants will receive a University of Cape Town certificate recognising their competencies in film impact facilitation and community engagement.
Between July 2026 and February 2027, the facilitators will return to their communities to deliver approximately 96 conservation film screenings across the KAZA and KTP landscapes. Using a curated catalogue of African environmental films, including the Makhulu Media TFCA film series, National Geographic and Disney Africa conservation content, and other locally relevant productions, each screening will be followed by structured discussions on environmental stewardship, climate adaptation, and human-wildlife coexistence.
Beyond raising awareness, the programme also supports youth employment and entrepreneurship. Facilitators will receive digital media starter packs and ongoing mentorship, enabling them to document local conservation stories, develop communications skills and create opportunities for sustainable livelihoods through community engagement and storytelling.
The Seeds of Cinema initiative demonstrates the value of partnerships in advancing conservation objectives. The programme is creating a regional network of young conservation communicators committed to amplifying local voices and strengthening environmental stewardship across Southern Africa's shared landscapes.
As the first screenings begin later this year, the programme will provide a platform for communities to connect through film, share knowledge across borders, and inspire collective action in support of the long-term goals of the KAZA TFCA and KTP.
Hosted at Wild View Resort in Kasane, the workshop brought together twelve youth facilitators from Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe. Originally designed for eight participants with support from the German Government and the European union, the programme was expanded through additional support from National Geographic and Disney Africa, enabling more young leaders to participate and increasing the programme's reach across the region.
Over five days, participants received intensive practical training in community film facilitation, conservation communication, documentary storytelling, digital media production, photography, safeguarding, and the operation of Sunshine Cinema's mobile solar-powered cinema equipment. The workshop also encouraged participants to exchange experiences from their respective conservation landscapes, exploring common challenges and opportunities facing communities living alongside wildlife.
A key component of the programme is its emphasis on dialogue rather than simply screening films. Each community event is designed to create a safe and inclusive space where local residents can reflect on environmental issues, share lived experiences and explore community-driven solutions to conservation challenges.
Following the workshop, all twelve facilitators will be enrolled in the online University of Cape Town's Film Impact Screening Facilitator Short Course, further strengthening their facilitation skills. Upon successful completion, participants will receive a University of Cape Town certificate recognising their competencies in film impact facilitation and community engagement.
Between July 2026 and February 2027, the facilitators will return to their communities to deliver approximately 96 conservation film screenings across the KAZA and KTP landscapes. Using a curated catalogue of African environmental films, including the Makhulu Media TFCA film series, National Geographic and Disney Africa conservation content, and other locally relevant productions, each screening will be followed by structured discussions on environmental stewardship, climate adaptation, and human-wildlife coexistence.
Beyond raising awareness, the programme also supports youth employment and entrepreneurship. Facilitators will receive digital media starter packs and ongoing mentorship, enabling them to document local conservation stories, develop communications skills and create opportunities for sustainable livelihoods through community engagement and storytelling.
The Seeds of Cinema initiative demonstrates the value of partnerships in advancing conservation objectives. The programme is creating a regional network of young conservation communicators committed to amplifying local voices and strengthening environmental stewardship across Southern Africa's shared landscapes.
As the first screenings begin later this year, the programme will provide a platform for communities to connect through film, share knowledge across borders, and inspire collective action in support of the long-term goals of the KAZA TFCA and KTP.
More information: https://khaki-goldfinch-269314.hostingersite.com/
