Since the outbreak of Ebola, filmmakers at WeOwnTv have been producing educational videos and public service announcements to help sensitize the country about the current Ebola crisis, teaching critical information about preventing the spread of the disease. weOwnTV filmmakers and a network of citizen journalists have also been reporting on the outbreak and producing documentary portraits of local heroes adding an authentic African voice to how history of this crisis is understood and written.
What is the issue, problem, or challenge?
Sierra Leone is experiencing an historic outbreak of the Ebola virus. The disease has no known treatment nor cure, and can be fatal within days or weeks. Neighboring countries have recently announced disease containment, but Sierra Leone is still struggling to get the crisis under control. Furthermore while peoples’ most immediate fears are starting to wane, pent up frustrations are exacerbating a tense social and political climate.
How will this project solve this problem?
There is a clear opportunity to foster positive change out of the devastating health disaster by providing forums for expression and peaceful debate through authentic Sierra Leonean reporting and expression. The short doc portrait series and our citizen journalism project provide forums for political discourse and the sharing of Ebola-related experiences that is so critical for the country’s healing process. These portraits will also feature and celebrate local heroes worthy of recognition.
Potential Long Term Impact
This project will help establish trust between the community with health and government officials to avoid future health issues. Because of the attention the country received, local journalists have an opportunity to share stories about their country that celebrate the heroic acts of local medical staff and volunteer. They can create a portrait of the region that celebrates resilience and creativity and writes a history that moves beyond being singularly defined by tragedy.
Funding Information
Total Funding Received to Date: $10,493
Remaining Goal to be Funded: $9,507
Total Funding Goal: $20,000
Additional Documentation
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
