Human capital development is critical for the growth of the creative sector, which has potential to generate the much-needed jobs and contribute to Africa’s gross domestic product (GDP).
By Admire Kudita
It is against this background that one of the continent’s corporate giants MultiChoice Africa launched the MutliChoice Talent Factory (MTF) academy initiative in three African regions namely West Africa (Nigeria), East Africa (Kenya) and Southern Africa (Zambia) over the last week with the Zambia launch taking place on Thursday last week.
The Southern African launch event was hosted by MCs, David Mbeha from Namibia (TLC’s Next Great Presenter 2015) and Mwaka Mugala, lead actress in Zambian telenovela Zuba.
Zambian Higher Education minister Nkandu Luo commended the Zambia Institute of Mass Communication academy’s curriculum of theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience in cinematography, editing, audio production and storytelling.
“I am confident that the right curriculum will be tested on the 20 students and it is my belief that this curriculum is not a static document,” she said.
“As we move on with this training programme, we will be able to realign the training, so that Africa will be celebrating a team of professionals who will propel the film and television industry.
“Today is a culmination of a lot of hard work between professionals from the University of Zambia and our regulator, the Higher Education Authority and MultiChoice”.
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Twenty students were drawn from Angola, Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe’s representatives at the academy are Norbert Mapfoche (24) and Rutendo Mahofa (26).The MTF academy offers the successful applicants who “are passionate about telling their own stories a unique opportunity to improve their skills and ultimately contribute to the growth of the local and pan African film and broadcasting industries a lifetime opportunity to undergo 12 months training, with a production break to be determined by MultiChoice at its sole discretion”.
The event attracted a high-powered guest list from Southern Africa, including Zimbabwe ambassador in Zambia Gertrude Takawira.
Zambia’s Information minister Dora Siliya in an interview expressed her government’s commitment to playing a catalytic role in the sector.
“We in government want to do our part as well and that is why we are putting together a film policy that should be able to provide clarity for all those in the sector,” she said.
Sadc ministers collectively expressed the need for the region to engage the story-telling tradition and turn it into a GDP earner.
