Ngosa Chungu on why you should donate to Zambia’s untold stories video campaign
Three days ago we launched a Kickstarter campaign for funding that will help Zambians create quality video footage of Zambia. The launch blog is here. The Lusaka Markets video is the first in a series. So far the campaign has raised ZMW 1,912 / $345 / £215 from four backers. We have 16 days to go and ZMW 15,491 / $ 2,786 / £1,735 left to raise. You can help in two ways:
1. Share this project with your network. The more people hear about this, the more likley we are to hit the target.2. Back the project, by donating anything, no matter how small, or how big! Everything helps towards achieving this goal.
Ngosa Chungu is involved in the project. Here’s more about Ngosa and why you should support this project.
What do you currently do?I am the founder and Producer at Purple Tembo Media. I am currently overseeing two projects: a documentary film on the Zambian National Team, the Chipolopolo’s football history, endorsed by the Football Association of Zambia, and producing and presenting this docuseries on Zambia that we are campaigning for. I am also a managing partner at Digital Cascade, a multimedia creative collaboration. I media consult for events and conferences as well.
How did you get involved in the Lusaka Markets Video project?Purple Tembo sponsors Startup Hour, a monthly happy hour networking event for entrepreneurs hosted by Startup Junction at Smugglers Inn. I was there representing the company when I met Joe and Julia Brown, founders of the Best of Zambia. One thing led to another and we figured out that we could collaborate on this project. They had the idea of crowdfunding for the first video so we can then set ourselves up to make a whole docuseries. I have the production and presenting skills to help actualise this vision.
Why did you agree to be involved in this video project?I had been involved in something similar, but did not have the creative freedom to be able to do what I really wanted to document our beautiful country, its people, culture, natural beauty and business environment. I also was not satisfied by the way it was packaged. My work aired on local TV channels and though I asked for it to be available online, as people in the diaspora expressed interest, my request was denied. Video is such a powerful way of telling stories, and giving people a clear idea of what something is like, and Zambia desperately needs more content about it that is easily accessible online.
How have you contributed to the project so far?My company has coordinated production: found the production crew to film and edit the fundraising video, written the script used and coordinated Barefeet’s involvement. I myself presented in the fundraising video. You can view the video here:
Lusaka Markets VideoEdit descriptionwww.kickstarter.com
My company and I are now researching for and creating the script for the Lusaka Markets video and planning the shooting schedule.
Why do you think we need to take action and create quality videos of Zambian people and places?There is not much online. If like me you are a digger, you will find outdated video on Zambia of poor quality. This is not representative of who we are and how far we have come. Zambia is one of the most blessed nations in Africa and possibly the world: we have an abundance of wildlife, natural resources, we are a peaceful nation and we have great cultural diversity. All this should be shared with the world. We have many interesting stories to document and to share. We need to take our place online and fill in that blank space with the Best of Zambia! I created my media content production company Purple Tembo to do just that: create proudly Zambian, positively African audiovisual content for on and offlline platforms. That is why I am taking action.
What is your dream for this project?To be able to take this project to the next level. After raising money for the first video in order to showcase what we can do, I am hoping that organisations and people will come on board to help fund future videos so that my company can deliver a cohesive web docuseries for Zambia via the Best of Zambia platform. I would love for Zambians around the world to be able to experience home through these videos and also be able to share with others where they are from. I am hoping that Zambians here at home will help us financially to make more videos, and will come up with great ideas for what can be documented, and assist us when we visit where they are from to ensure we tell the best stories.
What is your dream for Zambia?That we continue to move forward, that we embrace the affordances modern communication technology has to offer to be able to show what we are capable of, and to show how proudly Zambian we are. We need to stop being negative and worried about collaborating and being swindled. We need to band together for a better future, and we need to collaborate, especially creatively, to start telling our own stories, rather than leaving it to outsiders.
Anything else you’d like to add?Please share our project with others, and we appreciate whatever you can give to help us reach our goal. Let’s document and expose the best of Zambia together! Mphamvu!
Please back the project here.
Thank you for sharing this and donating! Ngosa
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