Nairobi, Kenya September 9 2021
Kenya film Commission (KFC) has rolled out the Training of Trainers program for
wardens from Kenya Prisons launched at the Kamiti Maximum Prison back in February
2020 before the COVID pandemic that necessitated the postponement of the same.
The training will be an eleven unit- intensive, hands-on and total immersion course
whose curriculum and mode of delivery will be a blend of practical, hands-on and immersion
practical training delivered through a blend of theory and project based work- from faculty
who will demonstrate contemporary film production techniques in visual storytelling with
fortitude and creativity and spread out over three weeks for the trainees to culminate in
each group producing a 5-8 minute film as a graduation/ course completion
requirement.
This program will be rolled out around the country with Nairobi hosting the pilot phase
that has 50 wardens drawn from Nairobi Area correctional facilities that include; Kamiti
Maximum Security Prison, Kamiti Medium Prison Kamiti Youth Correction and Training
Centre, Kamae Girls Borstal Institution, Nairobi Industrial Maximum Prison, Nairobi
Industrial Medium Prison, Jamhuri Short Sentence Prison, Langata Women Maximum
Security Prison and Nairobi West Prison.
“The long-term objective of this program is to offer a crash program or master classes to
inmates so that they have a fall back plan that will empower them economically after
serving their terms. We are confident that the content that will originate from the
trainees will promote a message of peace, unity, cohesiveness and non-violence through
filmmaking,”, notes Timothy Owase the CEO KFC.
The overall goal of the Commission mentorship programme is to plug into the national
governments goal of creating employment through 1.3 million jobs every year while
creating partnerships with county governments to establish at least one industry in
every county. The initiative demonstrates KFC’s commitment to focus on communities’
societal experience and provide social solutions from a community perspective while
sparking creativity in people of all ages with limited income or resources confined in
prisons.
At the heart of the Commission, is the strategic intention to grow the sustainability of
the film industry through strengthening existing institutional frameworks and
increasing the production of films in Kenya through the active involvement of
stakeholders across the board.
“Filmmaking is big business indeed. It remains our responsibility therefore, to make sure
every person in the society at whatever level has been empowered to partake film making
and join the creative economy. We believe there will be great stories coming from here and
other facilities outside Nairobi”, says Owase.
A healthy and vibrant film industry creates jobs, promotes tourism, contributes to
education, civic information and promotes national cohesion. To this end, KFC is
committed to developing an enabling environment for filmmakers young and old to
flourish in their field. We are committed to promoting content creation, mentorship and
industry facilitation in storytelling.
The whistling African 