Last year Dr Aristide Kamla came to Sodwana Bay and left as an advanced Scuba Diver with a new and inspired mission. Exactly a year later the, his organisation, the African Marine Mammal Conservation Organization (AMMCO) offered a group of 8 scientists, conservationists and community leaders from Ghana, Senegal and Cameroon the opportunity to visit eKhaya and acquire dive certifications to further their careers.
 

Capacity-building partnerships like these give NEWF the opportunity to support African storytellers, scientists and conservationists by developing partner-hubs around Africa - increasing our impact while meeting the needs of fellows around Africa sustainably and on their terms. 

AMMCO's investment is part of a long-term strategy to establish a diving industry in West Africa, a product of Dr.Aristide Takoukam Kamla's passionate 16 year marine biology and ecology career.

While NEWF is first and foremost a storytelling organisation, we have the largest capacity-building dive program in Africa. 125 out of 234 NEWF Fellows are certified divers, many of whom use these skills in scientific careers, for educational and conservation initiatives - and of course for underwater storytelling.

We spoke to Aristede to get a better sense of how AMMCO came to be the impact their work has had on Cameroon's coastal wildlife and communities. Fresh off accepting the Whitley for Nature Award in London on the 1st of May, we delved into the bigger picture and how it circles back to the West Africa Dive Lab.

Curious about Africa Refocused? The Africa Refocused program, a collaboration between NEWF and the National Geographic Society is aimed at scaling the impact of NEWF’s work. Year 3 is all about refinement, with a laser sharp focus on levelling up our fellows professional development, diversifying funding and exploring partnerships in new ways. Africa Refocused - it's a thing! Come and join us!

Whether you attended #NEWF2024, joined virtually or missed out all together - we have made a few useful resources available for you to access. The Art of Documentary Research by Samreen Farooqui, Grant Writing by Paul Nwulu, Demystifying Editing by Gunjan Menon and Saiyam Wakchaure and The Art of Interviewing by Gunjan Menon and Saiyam Wakchaure is available here. Have a resource to contribute to the community? Let us know here.

We’re excited to share that the building crews are back making progress on the next phase of building at eKhaya Storytelling and Research Centre which includes Sli’s office space for our dive activities, and a the main office. Next up? Our own, fully-kitted Post-Production Studio… stay tuned to learn more about book your next Post-Production retreat!

How will you contribute towards a more equitable future for storytelling? We are inviting fellows and thought-partners alike to collaborate to pitch a virtual or in-person chat, focus-group or #NEWF2025 workshop or panel. This open call is for thought-provoking, industry-relevant programming that can support the NEWF Community at key events and throughout the year. To pitch, click here.

In April Storytellers and Explorers Noel & Pragna Kok, co-founders of our community-centric organisation participated in the National Geographic Education Explorer Classroom. These classrooms are tailored to different age groups and aim to share the wonderful work people all around the world are doing to save the planet.

For NEWF, that means making sure the next generation sees an Africa where nature and people are equitably and honestly represented. 

To watch join their virtual classroom, click here.