• The initiative helps refugees tell their stories from camps by giving them creative and technical skills in film.
• Kenya hosts more than 400,000 refugees from over 20 countries.
Image: MOSES MWANGI
Baluu Wol Makuach, a refugee from South Sudan, has been living in the Kakuma refugee camp since he fled his country 27 years ago.
On Friday, Makuach was among the artists who received best actor awards at the Filmaid festival in Nairobi.
"I joined Film Aid last year and it helped me realise my talent as an actor. It also gave us the skills we need to tell our stories at refugee camps," he said.
Makuach underwent six-month training in the filmmaker training programme, which gives refugee youths the technical skills that enable them to tell their stories. They are trained at the camps.
In the film Broken Ties, Makuach plays a village chief who conspires with the area commissioner to steal relief food. He won the best actor award for the role.
"We have a lot of stories to tell in Kakuma. We want to raise awareness because there are a lot of things happening in the camps," he said.
"Living there has its share of challenges; the weather is hostile, food is scarce and people have resorted to getting loans from agencies to buy food. Some are committing suicide because they have been blocked due to unpaid loans."
The actor added that with the skills acquired, they are able to tell of what goes on in the camps. Kenya hosts refugees from more than 20 countries. Data from the UNHCR shows Kenya had registered 477,451 refugees as of July 31, 2019. Of the number, 85 per cent is located in Dadaab and Kakuma while 15 per cent is living in urban areas.
Film Aid Kenya country director Stella Suge said a major challenge that limits refugees from fully living their lives is the encampment policy, which limits their freedom of movement and work.
"There is no need to close our boundaries and borders. All of us came from somewhere... Life in camps is a great injustice," she said.
The director also said refugees have the potential to build host nations' economies, citing Turkana and Garissa as examples of economies built on refugee businesses.
Timothy Owase, the Kenya Film Commission CEO, said a film is the most powerful tool to communicate hope and change.
"I take this opportunity to encourage corporate entities to support and partner with government agencies in advancing the youth development agenda," he said.
Makuach was one of the participants of Step for Safety that happened in Nairobi yesterday.
"We are here to encourage our refugee brothers and sisters and show solidarity with them because they face a lot of challenges," he said.
(Edited by F'Orieny)