Written through Dr. Paula Kahumu, CEO of WildlifeDirect and manufacturer and presenter of Flora and fauna Warriors
Flora and fauna Warriors breaks new flooring as the primary TV flora and fauna documentary collection made through Africans, about Africans and for Africans. Our objective is to polish a gentle on Africa’s unsung conservation heroes to encourage a brand new era of conservationists to observe their instance. 
The collection is the brainchild of my group, Kenya-based WildlifeDirect. Season 1 featured 14 wonderful heroines and heroes operating at the entrance line of flora and fauna conservation. It used to be first aired on Kenyan media massive Citizen TV in 2019, achieving 51% of the inhabitants, and has since been re-broadcast a number of instances in Kenya, in addition to being made to be had on streaming services and products to audience in 26 African international locations and internationally. Season 2 is extra formidable, with upper manufacturing values. It used to be introduced in Kenya previous this yr and has already gained 4 world awards on the Global Flora and fauna Motion pictures Competition (IWFF) and Pridelands Movie Competition (PWFF), whose judging panel recommended Flora and fauna Warriors “for its contributions to converting behaviour, converting the narrative and empowering the following era of filmmakers and flora and fauna protectors”. At IWFF, the episode on protective elephants in northern Kenya “The Royal Elephants of Samburu” gained The Best possible Formative years Program award, whilst all of the Flora and fauna Warriors used to be awarded Best possible Sequence. The 3rd prize used to be the Particular Jury award awarded to me for my contribution inside the box of flora and fauna tv and for serving as a task type for Flora and fauna Warriors’ target market of school-aged youngsters and past. Flora and fauna Warriors is the one flora and fauna documentary collection made in Africa through Africans for an African target market. At PWFF, All the Flora and fauna Warrior collection gained the Particular Jury award.
Flora and fauna Warriors is a party of African creativity and endeavor. In Season 2 we meet African scientists pushing the limits of medical analysis, communities who’ve banded in combination to create new secure spaces, tribal elders protecting sacred forests, and fisherfolk restoring loss of life coral reefs.
Audiences in Kenya have answered enthusiastically. The methods have impressed them to discuss with nationwide parks to look the flora and fauna featured within the episodes for themselves, to have interaction with the problems through learning extra and signing petitions, and to do so to give a boost to their native setting. 1000’s of youngsters have joined Flora and fauna Warriors Children golf equipment in colleges, the place, along with school room actions founded round TV collection, membership contributors have interaction with nature thru visits to Nationwide Parks and watching native flora and fauna. The golf equipment additionally perform leading edge initiatives of their communities, together with tree planting and waste recycling schemes
The collection has introduced new reputation to the conservation heroes featured within the episodes, serving to to extend native improve for his or her initiatives and draw in extra investment. Heroes featured in Season 1 have gained prestigious world awards and scholarships for postgraduate learn about at main universities and analysis institutes.
Flora and fauna Warriors could also be remodeling the African filmmaking panorama. Once we began, African flora and fauna filmmakers have been skinny at the flooring, and we struggled to search out and teach a group. The luck of the collection has stimulated monumental pastime in flora and fauna documentaries amongst African broadcasters and movie manufacturing corporations, and now world manufacturers are making an investment in coaching African ability. The call for for African-made flora and fauna motion pictures isn’t limited to Kenya and that’s why WildlifeDirect is these days operating in 5 African international locations on every other collection which will probably be introduced later this yr.
We’re significantly excited to be in Kigali, Rwanda for the Africa Secure Spaces Congress to exhibit our paintings to our brothers and sisters from around the continent. Episodes have been screened at more than a few venues at APAC. WildlifeDirect’s major tournament used to be in room AD11 at the twentieth of July. We additionally screened on the Conservation Alliance of Kenya (CAK) and Global Flora and fauna Fund (WWF) Kenya pavilions on Tuesday nineteenth and Friday twenty second of July respectively. Contributors too can touch us to get get entry to to look at the collection on-line. It’s our hope that very quickly Rwandans will be capable of experience each seasons of Flora and fauna Warriors on Rwandan TV. We additionally hope to incorporate Rwandan conservation heroes in Season 3, which we would like to supply in partnership with Rwandan filmmakers, to exhibit the rustic’s exceptional conservation successes.
For more info, please achieve out to:
Carol Ng’ang’a, Communications Supervisor [email protected] OR Trish Sewe, Leader of Birthday celebration [email protected]