Saturday, October 1, 2011

BDT board meeting in Copenhagen

This is the board of BDT meeting on a sunny october day in Copenhagen. We are evaluating Bongodox 2 after month 1. 


Sunday, August 21, 2011

Documentary filmmaker to make a spin-off documentary in Africa

The idea: that someone makes a documentary of the Bongodox documentary project.

The philosophy of Bongodox is to turn the art of documentary production into a local tool of development in the hands of those who are facing the challenges of poverty. We believe this to be an interesting case for the production of a meta-documentary film.

Do you support this philosophy? Would you like to share your expertise with fellow documentary filmmakers in an African developing country? And would you like to capture the history of a young African documentary team trying to highlight their own challenges in development?

You will partner with the Danish civil society organisation Bongo Development Tourism (BDT) in order to produce a documentary film about the local African documentary team Bongodox. During the process you may be sharing professional knowledge and experience helpful to you and the local team.

Bongodox is owned by an African civil society organisation. The project participants are 8 African citizens from the local area in Mbeya Region of Tanzania. In July 2011 Bongodox received a grant from The Project Fund to finance three new documentaries about Environment, Tourism, and HIV in the local towns and villages of Rungwe District. The new project will last for 15 months starting up in September 2011.

In the planning and scheduling of your documentary film BDT will make relevant knowledge and details available for you. BDT will also help you communicating with the local host and project owner.

The idea: that someone makes a documentary of the Bongodox documentary project.
The project: runs between september 2011 and december 2012
Start of the job: As soon as possible
Salary: unpaid / voluntary / fund raising
Application to: bdtbestyrelse@gmail.com
More information: call +45 52487722
This announcement has been posted by: Bongo Development Tourism (BDT).
Address: Bongo Development Tourism (BDT) C/O Brücker, Amagerfælledvej 18 st. tv, 2300 Copenhagen S

Bongo Development Tourism (BDT) is a Danish non-profit civil society organization of 2006 doing development projects in Tanzania. In Denmark the organization is a member of The Project Advice and Training Centre.

About BDT: http://bdtdk.blogspot.com
Contact: bdtbestyrelse@gmail.com

Monday, July 25, 2011

Bongo Camping hosting a new Bongodox team

We are happy to announce that, after the first Bongodox documentary film from 2010, Bongodox is getting ready for new productions, supported by Bongo Development Tourism with a grant from The Project Fund which is financed by The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DANIDA) and administered by The Project Advice and Training Centre (Projektrådgivningen). At the platform Bongo Camping preparations have started for the production of two documentary films on tourism and environment, one documentary film on HIV/AIDS and a music video with Kisamakibo band. The new project also includes an education tour and distribution of the mentioned music video. (Bongodox 2 Project description)



The objectives of Bongodox

Bongodox is a young African film production group operating from Bongo Camping in Mbeya Region of Tanzania (www.bongocamping.com). The group is owned by the African civil society organisation KUMBE. Supported by the Danish partner Bongo Development Tourism, KUMBE´s film activities are making a difference in development. To our knowledge there are no other film producers in the district actively presenting and debating the realities of HIV transmission and environmental degradation. The Mbeya region is among the worst affected areas as regards the number of HIV-infected, and the lack of openness towards this problem only adds to the complexity of the situation. In KUMBE’s first HIV/AIDS documentary, a man infected with HIV shares his point of view on the HIV-situation in the next village. He claims that only very few people in the village have the courage to speak openly about their life with HIV and that he is aware of several HIV-infected who decline to undergo testing and receive medication from the local hospital. Through the film media his message is reaching a considerable number of people. In the new project, KUMBE will carry on and extend this process toward greater openness to more parts of the district.

Film production and poverty

Film production could play a significant role in the efforts to combat poor living conditions and present the youth with opportunities. Groups of civil society who carry the responsibility to advocate for the poor, can exploit the film media in order to spread messages and confront society and its leaders with challenges that must find common solutions. The poorest people need civil society to make room for their perspectives on the visual media stage. As a civil society group KUMBE takes this opportunity to shed light on the problems most fiercely effecting the poor majority of Mbeya Region. The aim of KUMBE´s film production is to make the voice of the poor come through. The poorest people must be the ones who profit from this enterprise.
During the scheduled education tour of Bongodox, the project participants will set out to strengten the dialogue between KUMBE and those marginalized groups of the society who are mostly excluded from desicion making processes. One of the target groups is girls/women who often take the blame for being the root of HIV transmission, in spite of the fact that men according to the tradition are free to choose sexual partners as they please. In relation to both HIV and environmental issues girls/women typically have less influence than men. The project will address this reality by producing films in which the roles and voices of girls/women receive attention. Another target group is the youth. In Tanzania one third of the population is young people aged between 10 and 24, and so the future country depends on them, regarding health and society´s unity and coherence. This reality will be reflected in the new productions. The perspectives of young people will also get attention during film events at 12 secondary schools in Rungwe District.

For girls, youths and villagers

The participants of the Bongodox project are eight members of KUMBE, among whom might be several participants from the Bongodox training period in 2010. The band Kisamakibo will be a partner in the music video production included in the new project. In general the Bongodox project builds on previously established cooperation, which will make it possible to exploit the resources and skills available in KUMBE. The primary target group for the Bongodox project is citizens of Mbeya Region. These citizens are economically and educationally weak, and in their lives they must cope with the threat of HIV/AIDS. The new project will consider young people (aged between 15 and 25), citizens from village areas and finally girls/women. There will be efforts to make girls/women a part of crucial debates. At schools the project will contribute knowledge about society´s present challenges like HIV and environmental degradation, education which is lacking due to poor shool budgets. The pupils are motivated to learn more about protection from HIV, and they are curious to know how local environmental innovations are developing. Their strenght is to comprehend and learn quickly, especially through modern media, and this became clear to KUMBE during three film events conducted at local schools during February and March 2011. The target groups will benefit from the Bongodox project in several ways, as the basic means of Bongodox is to build on interaction positively enhanced by the inspiring atmosphere of film media.

Bongodox 2 - project description

This is the english translation of the project description for the original Bongodox 2 application to The Project Fund. (view .pdf version)

Table of contents:

Context and Relevance of Bongodox

By producing documentaries aiming at the people´s development the civil society organisation KUMBE is making a difference in Rungwe District in Tanzania. According to our knowledge there are no other film producers in the district actively presenting and debating the realities of HIV transmission and environmental degradation. The Mbeya region is among the worst affected areas as regards the number of HIV-infected and the lack of openness towards this problem only adds to the complexity of the situation. In KUMBE’s first HIV/AIDS documentary, a man infected with HIV shares his point of view on the HIV-situation in the next village. He claims that only very few people in the village have the courage to speak openly about their life with HIV and that he is aware of several HIV-infected who decline to undergo testing and receive medication from the local hospital. Through the film media his message is reaching a considerable number of people.
In the new project, KUMBE will carry on and extend this process toward greater openness to more parts of the district.
Film production could play a significant role in the efforts to combat poverty and poor living conditions. Groups of civil society who carry the responsibility to advocate for the poor, can exploit the film media in order to spread messages and confront society and  its leaders with challenges that must find common solutions. In Tanzania, where liberalism tendencies grow stronger, most films are produced in the name of private interests, and in this respect the poorest people need civil society to make room for their perspectives on the visual media stage. As a civil society group KUMBE takes this opportunity to shed light on the problems most fiercely effecting the poor majority of Mbeya Region. The aim of KUMBE´s film production is to make the voice of the poor come through. The poorest people must be the ones who profit from this enterprise. During the scheduled education tour of Bongodox, the project participants will set out to strengten the dialogue between KUMBE and those marginalized groups of the society who are mostly excluded from desicion making processes. One of the target groups is girls/women who often take the blame for being the root of HIV transmission, in spite of the fact that men according to the tradition are free to choose sexual partners as they please. In relation to both HIV and environmental issues girls/women typically have less influence than men. The project will address this reality by producing films in which the roles and voices of girls/women receive attention.
Another target group is the youth. In Tanzania one third of the population is young people aged between 10 and 24, and so the future country depends on them, regarding health and society´s unity and coherence. This reality will be reflected in the new productions. The perpectives of young people will also get attention during film events at 12 secondary schools in Rungwe District.

Target groups and Participants in Bongodox

The participants of the Bongodox project are eight members of KUMBE, among whom might be several participants from the Bongodox training period in 2010. The band Kisamakibo will be a partner in the music video production included in the new project. In general the Bongodox project builds on previously established cooperation, which will make it possible to exploit the resources and skills available in KUMBE. The primary target group for the Bongodox project is citizens of Mbeya Region. These citizens are economically and educationally weak, and in their lives they must cope with the threat of HIV/AIDS. The new project will consider young people (aged between 15 and 25), citizens from village areas and finally girls/women. There will be efforts to make girls/women a part of crucial debates. At schools the project will contribute knowledge about society´s present challenges like HIV and environmental degradation, education which is lacking due to poor shool budgets. The pupils are motivated to learn more about protection from HIV, and they are curious to know how local environmental innovations are developing. Their strenght is to comprehend and learn quickly, especially through modern media, and this became clear to KUMBE during three film events conducted at local schools during February and March 2011. The target groups will benefit from the Bongodox project in several ways, as the basic means of Bongodox is to build on interaction positively enhanced by the inspiring atmosphere of film media.

Objectives and Success criteria for Bongodox

Immediate Objective 1
As a film production group aiming at the people´s development Bongodox has sufficient capacity to make films (planning, recording and editing) and to coordinate events in which their locally produced films mirror present challenges and urge citizens to give their views on HIV/AIDS and environmental problems in Rungwe District.
Indicator 1: Through the weekly and monthly evaluations the members of KUMBE grow conscious about their expanding ability to organise and manage activities as a civil society group.
Source: Three reports evaluating the members´ discussions on the project.
Indicator 2: At least 90% of the respondents (interviewees) from three villages and three schools are able to describe how KUMBE contributes in a new and inpiring fashion to enhancing citizens´ consciousness about society´s alarming tendencies.
Source: Interviews shot on video and stored on a DVD.
Indicator 3: Positive statements on the learning process of target-groups have been made by leaders from those locations in which KUMBE has conducted interaction through film events.
Source: Written letters from three schools and three villages concerning the question, How did you observe the responses of (pupils / villagers) in the aftermath of the film events?
Indicator 4: During the process of film production several young people air their honest views on HIV related problems.
Source: Summary of a meeting for young people struggling with HIV related problems who live in three neighboring wards.

Immediate Objective 2
In KUMBE´s film productions the voices of girls/women get attention, and the film productions motivate other girls/women to verbally and actively participate in the workshops scheduled to take place during the education tour.
Indicator 1: In KUMBE´s film productions the number of roles/parts and voices of girls/women is not less than half of the total number of roles/parts.
Source: Film productions stored on DVDs. Written reports of the group.
Indicator 2: Not less than half of ten female respondents (interviewees) from the target group are able to explain how Bongodox film productions have aroused their interest.
Source: Filmed interviews conducted after the film events and stored on a DVD.
Immediate Objective 3
KUMBE´s film productions and the processes of film documentation are drawing attention to the group´s civil society activities and to Mbeya Region.
Indicator 1: By the end of the project at least 2 films have been uploaded at Youtube, at Bongo Camping´s website and at Facebook, this being done with the consent of the local authorities.
Source: Youtube and bdtdk.blogspot.dk
Indicator 2: By the end of the project the present description of Bongo Camping in the Lonely Planet and The Rough Guide has been updated with a short notice on Bongo Camping´s local cinema and the on-going film production enterprise.
Source: Lonely Planet and The Rough Guide.
Indicator 3: The rate of customers who visit Bongo Camping´s cinema to watch the films of KUMBE is above 30% of all adult tourists who spend more than 1 night at Bongo Camping.
Source: Written statistics.

Activities and Methods in Bongodox

Project Time schedule (15 months)
Months 
-Activities
Output
1-5
Production of two documentary films on tourism and environment
1. A short documentary film showing the tourist spots of Rungwe District, focusing on the positive sides of tourism.
2. A short documentary film focusing on the enviromental challenges related to tourism in Rungwe District.
6-8
Production of one documentary film on HIV/AIDS
A short documentary film on young people and HIV, recorded at 3 small towns in Rungwe District. The working title of the film is ´AIDS is killing´ - part 2´, and the background for this film is the first Bongodox production ´AIDS is killing´ from 2010.
9-11
Production of a music video with Kisamakibo band
A music video with Kisamakibo band whose compositions focus on HIV/AIDS
12-14
Education tour
15
Distribution of the music video

Detailed Activity Schedule of Bongodox (15 months)
Months
Activities
1. Documentary film about tourism and environment
Networking seminar:
2 days, with 1 person from TANAPA and an officer of Rungwe District.
The aim is to share experiences and build a network within the fields of tourism and enviroment.
Video camera workshop:
2 days, with 1 experienced film producer from Mbeya.
The aim is to recall the proper use of video cameras.
Research:
Participants, 4 persons:
1. The project leader
2. The project assistant
3. Visual supervisor
4. Interviewer
These four workers go to the villages hosting the most important tourist attractions in Rungwe District, in order to meet with the village leaders. The participants work form Monday to Friday. Saturday is day of evaluation and Sunday is day off.
2. Documentary film about tourism and environment
Interviews
Participants, 4 persons:
1. The project leader
2. The project assistant
3. Visual supervisor
4. Interviewer
These four workers go to the villages hosting the most important tourist attractions in Rungwe District in order to interview the local inhabitants on benefits of toursim and environmental challenges related to tourism. The participants work form Monday to Friday. Saturday is day of evaluation and Sunday is day off.
3. Documentary film about tourism and environment
Recordings
Participants, 3 persons:
1. The project leader
2. The project assistant
3. Visual supervisor
These three participants make film recordings on the most important spots of tourism in Rungwe District. The participants work 3 days a week. Saturday is day of evaluation and Sunday is day off
4. Documentary film about tourism and environment
Editing of tourism documentary film
Participants, 4 persons:
1. Editing supervisor from Mbeya
2. Editor of Bongodox
3. Editor of Bongodox
4. Editor of Bongodox
These four participants work from Monday to Friday. Weekend days off.
5. Documentary film about tourism and environment
Editing of environment film
1. Editing supervisor from Mbeya (1 day)
2. Editor of Bongodox
3. Editor of Bongodox
4. Editor of Bongodox
These three participants work from Monday to Friday. Weekend days off.
6. Documentary film about HIV/AIDS
HIV/AIDS seminar
1 day, the AIDS district coordinator will be present.
The aim is to exchange experiences of working with AIDS and to gain knowledge about HIV/AIDS challenges in Rungwe District.
Research
Participants, 3 persons:
1. The project leader
2. The project assistant
3. Visual supervisor
These three participants visit three nearby towns (Katumba, Kiwira and Tukuyu) in order to meet with the village leaders concerning permit and information pertaining to the research emphasising young people´s awareness about HIV/AIDS. During the first week they work three days in a week and meet with the village leaders. In the following weeks they work 5 days in a week doing reserach and interviews in Katumba, Kiwira and Tukuyu. At the end of this research they will arrange a meeting with young people from the three wards facing different HIV-related challenges. Saturday is day of evaluation and Sunday is day off.
7. Documentary on HIV/AIDS
Interviews and Recordings
Participants, 4 persons:
1. The project leader
2. The project assistant
3. Visual supervisor
4. Interviewer
These four persons do interviews wiht young people concerning their awareness about HIV/AIDS in Katumba, Kiwira and Tukuyu. In each town they have 9 work days. Saturday is day of evaluation and Sunday is day off.
8. Documentary film on HIV/AIDS
Editing of HIV/AIDS documentary film
Participants, 4 persons:
1. Editing supervisor from Mbeya (1 day)
2. Editor of Bongodox
3. Editor of Bongodox
4. Editor of Bongodox
The three participants work from Monday to Friday. Saturday and Sunday are days off.
Music video with Kisamakibo
Music video Workshop
2 days, there will be a skilled producer of music videos present.
The aim is to learn how you produce a music video.
Research
Participants, 3 persons:
1. The project leader
2. The project assistant
3. Visual supervisor
These three persons will prepare the recordings of the music video. They will visit proper locations for the shooting and arrange the time schedule for recordings. They work 3 days in a week. Saturday is day of evaluation and Sunday is day off.
Kisamakibo band rehearsals
Kisamakibo band (5 persons) and four dancers / actors prepare for the shooting. They work 3 days in a week. Saturday is day of evaluation and Sunday is day off.
10. Music video with Kisamakibo
Recordings / Shooting
Participants:
1. Kisamakibo band + dancers/actors, 9 persons
2. Visual supervisor
3. The project leader
4. The project assistant
They work 3 days in a week. Saturday is day of evaluation and Sunday is day off.
11. Music video with Kisamakibo
Editing of music video
Participants, 5 persons:
1. Editing supervisor from Mbeya (1 day)
2. Editor of Bongodox
3. Editor of Bongodox
4. Kisamakibo band member
5. Kisamakibo band member
The participants work from Monday to Friday. Saturday and Sunday are days off.
Preparation for Bongodox education tour
Participant: 1 person
1. Project leader
The project leader will be visiting at Secondary Shools and villages in Rungwe District (24 places) in order to promote and make agreements for the upcoming Bongodox education tour. The project leader works 3 days in a week, each week paying visits at 3 schools and 3 villages.
12-14. Education tour
Education tour
Participants, 11 persons:
1. Kisamakibo band, 5 persons
2. Visual supervisor
3. The project leader
4. The project assistant
5. Video operator
6. Interpreter
7. BDT volunteer
These 11 persons go around visiting at Secondary Schools and villages in Rungwe District in order to give education on environment, tourism and HIV. The events will last for about 2 hours, each event containing film, information and workshops on environment, tourism and HIV. There will also be a music show with Kisamakibo band. The group has got 2 working days in a week. Saturday is day of evaluation and Sunday is day off.
15. Distribution of music video
Distribution of music video
Participants, 2 persons:
1. Kisamakibo band leader
2. Kisamakibo band secretary
These 2 persons will be visiting at TV and Radio companies broadcasting around Mbeya, Mwanza and Dar es Salaam, in order to promote and distribute the music video of Kisamakibo.

Division of Roles and Responsibilities in Bongodox

As an organisation and an upcoming film producer KUMBE has got sufficient capacity to carry the main responsibility for implementing the project. During the last three years KUMBE has accumulated experience in organising development work and managing the economy of their campsite, and since 2010 KUMBE has started gaining experience in film production activities. The new project will make it possible to separate the organisation and the film production group as two different units. KUMBE is the owner of the project that hires the qualified workers to organise the project. There is a great chance that the persons hired in this project could possess a combined knowledge of means and objectives, that is, people having experience with both the organisation and film production. KUMBE will hire a local accountant for the Bongodox project. There are several local accountants available nearby, e.g. consultants from the local tea factory who could carry out professional tasks on the project. BDT will take part as a partner who is ready to supplement with advices. BDT is responsible for the project application and will take equal part in the evaluations which are scheduled to take place regularly during the project. In addition BDT will provide one volunteer member, a person having a tertiary education that touches on the field of modern media and dissemination. This expertise will be of great value for KUMBE during the planning and implementation of the education tour. Katrine Brücker and Kasper Gram-Hansen (BDT) witnessed three film events in February and Mach 2011 and they observed that there is a need for additional dissemination expertise. KUMBE learned that they must use a high precision when scheduling the different parts of an event. It is clear that there must be a well organised division of responsibilities and a thorough coordination, thereby making the group comfortable with the dissemination task and able to forcefully get the good messages across to the target group. A volunteer from Denmark can help focusing on the whole issue of dissemination during the film events. KUMBE and BDT have a positive partnership culture building on close and continual communication which will naturally be maintained during the Bongodox project. The partners will be conducting their joint evaluations by the exchanging of emails, as the local internet connection works finely through recharge vouchers.
Assumably the main risk in the project would be posed by the local district authorities. During the Bongodox training period in 2010 the district authorities feared that the rights of citizens would be violated if the documentary was shown abroad without permission. The Bongodox group discovered that it is indeed important to maintain a close contact between KUMBE and the local authorities in order to keep the authorities informed about the means and objectives of the project. If they manage to do so, the Tanzanian district authorities will be able to understand that KUMBE operates according to the laws of the country. It is also important that KUMBE begins this communication ahead of the project, because the government offices have many responsibilities and tasks to carry out. This means that lack of resources or an overburdened bureaucracy would cause delays at different points of the project. However KUMBE has already sent a request in pursuit of a film production permit for Rungwe District, and in the responding letter the authorities encouraged the group.
The budget chart shows that investments in gear take up 20 % of the total granted amount. At the present moment KUMBE has got the basic equipment (like camera and stationary computer) obtained during the earlier trainings, but previous experiences prove that new investments in quality gear are necessary. Obviously the previous editing conditions were bad because the computer had too little capacity for large image files, which meant that the group had to cope with unstable images and daily computer breakdowns. The working conditions must be improved, because only then can KUMBE and BDT ensure the proper quality of film productions. This doesn´t mean buying extremely professional and expensive editing gear and video cameras - it means simple gear in a good quality which is easy to handle for the group. Besides investments in film production gear KUMBE will buy speakers, microphones and a generator which is indispensable for the implementation of film events. During the film and HIV awareness events at three local schools in February and March 2011 it became clear that in the efforts to maintain the pupils´ attention and curiosity for the issues at stake proper gear is a desicive factor.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Bongodox 2: application is sent to the The Project Fund

Friday the 15th of april BDT applied for funding of a new round of local documentary production (Bongodox) at and around Bongo Camping. The funding is sought from The Project Fund which is financed by The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and administered by The Project Advice and Training Centre (PATC).

Bongodox 2 will involve producing 4 local (Tukuyu, Mbeya Region, Tanzania) documentaries about:
More info will follow.

Read more about Bongodox:
www.bongodox.com
About Bongodox on this blog