Reach a Hand Uganda (RAHU) in partnership with Sauti Plus Media Hub have launched the Leesu FemPower Project that is dedicated to uplifting and empowering female filmmakers and enhancing Uganda’s film industry.
The Leesu FemPower project will provide a platform for young women to share their stories and address critical societal issues by amplifying their voices and building their capacity to drive positive social change in Uganda.
This project aims to foster creativity, offer relevant resources and encourage collaboration to enable young aspiring female filmmakers create compelling films that will highlight and address pressing societal issues like gender inequality, women’s rights, social stereotypes, education and sexual and reproductive health issues.
Through Leesu FemPower, the young women will have access to capacity building opportunities to enhance their storytelling skills and use their talent to advocate for a more equitable society through their films.
Beneficiaries of the project will receive a grant at the end of their training to support the production of compelling stories that young women and girls go through in their different communities like Female Genital Mutilation, Fistula, high teenage pregnancy rates and gender-based violence.
While speaking during the launch, Humphrey Nabimanya, the Chief Executive Officer, Reach a Hand Uganda, said that the project will amplify the voices of our mothers, daughters, wives and sisters so they can ably tell their authentic stories through film and documentaries.
“We recently premiered a documentary on Sex and Climate Change that highlighted the high teenage pregnancy rate and early marriages affecting young girls in Kiryandongo District. We also covered a story titled, Sex for Pads in 2020 that created awareness on the challenges teenage girls experience. Consequently we have seen the decrease in teenage pregnancy rates in the Kasese and Rwenzori region,” Humphrey said.
The Leesu FemPower project lead from Sauti Plus Media Hub, Doreen Nabbanja said that the project comes at such a critical time to enhance the power of storytelling in addressing key social issues that women encounter.
“We are proud of this concept and we’re looking forward to seeing these young women showcase their stories come May 2025 when we intend to host our first film festival and give a platform to other filmmakers across the country so they can have their chance to showcase their impactful stories,” she added.
Leesu FemPower is helping to further Reach a Hand Uganda’s commitment to advancing social behavioural change through film and arts in Uganda. The organisation is also supporting many young people to get knowledge and correct information on sexual and reproductive health and rights issues so they can make more informed decisions.
Reach a Hand is also implementing programs like Kwiso Mu Cinema and the Ikon Young Filmmakers Fellowship which are advancing youth advocacy and social change by empowering young people in local communities in Uganda.
RAHU is a youth-centred organisation founded in 2011, dedicated to empowering young people across Uganda through Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) initiatives, HIV/AIDS awareness, livelihoods, and skills development programs. RAHU aims to amplify young voices in both rural and urban communities, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to make informed life choices. In collaboration with Save the Children under the RAISE project, RAHU is committed to strengthening community support structures that foster positive gender and social norms, empowering young people to make life-changing decisions regarding their SRHR.
Sauti was born from over 10 years of real-world experience in the Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) communications space through activities of Reach A Hand Uganda (RAHU). Hence a unique perspective of the needs of the client and expectations of the target audience. Sauti also creates impactful and proven solutions that not only challenge the industry norms but also deliver tangible long-term results.
