Turning Point: Wicky's Story

My name is Wickliffe Otieno Mboya. I am 23 years old. Before I came to Hot Sun Foundation, my life took a wrong turn. I was hanging out with the wrong crowd. They were somehow misleading me - taking drugs, working at night, not sure what they were doing.

I had contact with Hot Sun Foundation as an extra in the award-winning feature film TOGETHERNESS SUPREME. Then I drifted back to the streets. Hanging out. Doing nothing. Looking for easy money. Me and my friends are called "idle youth".

Mercy Murugi, producer of TOGETHERNESS SUPREME and trustee at Hot Sun Foundation saw me. I asked her for 30 shillings to buy a soft drink. She refused and told me to come with her to the Hot Sun Foundation office.

I started working as a volunteer with Kibera TV, an online community news service at Hot Sun Foundation. Then I was accepted to Kibera Film School where I learned all aspects of filmmaking.

To this day I am working with Hot Sun Foundation. I go back to the street and tell my old friends, they can change their ways. Most of them are gone - either dead or in jail. I

 go back to see my mum and bring her food for the family. She marvels and tells me that I am a different Wicky from the one she knew.

What does Hot Sun Foundation offer to the larger community?

When someone sees the me before and the me now, he asks where I am coming from. I am not the way I used to be. I used to only take. Now I am a positive person in the community, sharing all that I've got.

Every film that we do here is based on a true life story - something that effects the community. We are making peace through showing our films, like TOGETHERNESS SUPREME. We need to bring peace in different locations. We need funds to do that.

Here's my message to our supporters: Thank you for what you are doing. You are really touching people's lives - that's what all people should aspire to. Even if it is only one life, you will be remembered for that.

I only ask you to continue - changing lives, bringing peace through creating young filmmakers.

JOIN the AMAZING RACE for Kibera.  Contribute today at www.globalgiving.org/3632

I'll be looking for you.

Sincerely, Wicky

To support the great youth of the Kibera Film School, please visit our Global Giving Page

Greetings from Vincent Oduor

My name is Vincent Oduor.  I am 20 years old. 
I've been on my own in Kibera since 15, when my mother died.  My dad had already died when I was ten.   When relatives came to take my younger brothers and sisters back to their village, I argued with them and refused to leave.  I thought I would have a better chance to go to school in Kibera than in the village. 
I had no family left in Kibera.  My neighbors helped me.  They believed in me and paid for my textbooks.  I worked to pay my school fees.  I did it.  I graduated from high school. 
I never had a childhood.  I always had to work.  I used to help my mom with the younger children.  I don't think about going out or fancy clothes.  I'm not like some other youth.  I value myself and my future. 
I love to write… stories… plays…   A friend told me about Kibera Film School.  I decided that through film I could reach more people with my stories.   At Hot Sun Foundation, everyone is guided by her or his vision.  We share the same vision - working as a team to be good filmmakers


My message to Global Giving supporters: 
You have really done a great job. Some of us didn't know we could do certain things in life, like enter big buildings downtown, get respect from upper classes,  have people appreciate our videos. 

Just keep giving us this opportunity.  We know we can be creative.  We can make it with your support.

I really do appreciate your joining us in the AMAZING RACE for KIBERA.
Many thanks.  Happy Holidays!



To support the great youth of the Kibera Film School, please visit our Global Giving Page

AMAZING RACE AND YOUNG FILMMAKERS KIBERA EVENT.

How well do you know Kibera?What do you know about Kibera?Well here's a chance to know,interact and have fun within Kibera this festive season!Have a chance to meet some of the most exciting places in Kibera,sack gardens,bone carvings,young acrobats,hand-bags made from recycled polthene bags,soccer boys and girls,graffiti artists and young filmmakers among others.

Later in the day there will be celebration of young filmmakers ceremony at kibera Film School.

The amazing Race Kibera branded T-shirt will be available,just have to register at Ksh.200.

For more details and register contact Mercy 0716618188 or Alice 0710129043

To support the great youth of the Kibera Film School, please visit our Global Giving Page

SWEDISH JOURNALISTS IN KIBERA FILM SCHOOL.

Swedish journalists with Kibera Film School students, assistant trainers and Trustee  Nathan Collet (with red turban),  pausing for group photo at Hot Sun Foundation compound.

Victor Ombogo a camera and editing instructor at Kibera Film School being interviewed one on one by Nanushka Yeaman a Swedish journalist.

Victor Oluoch trainer at Kibera Film School
being interviewed by Nanushka Yeaman.

At Hot Sun Foundation's reception watching some of the Kibera Film School's short films,news pieces by Kibera Tv and feature film teaser Togetherness Supreme.

'Great films and very creative,hey must watch!'

The journalists had a chance to walk through Kibera Slum accompanied by Kibera Film School trainees.












To support the great youth of the Kibera Film School, please visit our Global Giving Page

AMREF AND HOT SUN FOUNDATION PEACE EVENT.

Vincent, Roy and Victor headed for the peace screening event at AMREF in Dagoretti, the feature film Togetherness supreme on peace and reconciliation which was produced by Hot Sun Films and Hot Sun Foundation was screened.










AMREF staff were not left out they stayed glued on their seats to watch the film.













 Hot Sun Foundation members and the AMREF staff pausing for a picture for a formal collaboration in spreading peace in Kenya.













To support the great youth of the Kibera Film School, please visit our Global Giving Page

OPEN CORNER DISCUSSION WITH TAZIM ELKINGTON.

Tazim the  host of the day addressing issues that   people pass through as human beings such forgetting your loved ones and we react to them.
    













Aida Hot Sun Productions trainee,assistant trainer Kibera Film School  was among those who attended the event.
Being a woman in the film making field it was her time to tell out the stories that women encounter this time round not with the camera but in real  life.

















 The Tribe Hotel manager and his mother were not left behind in the discussion on issues affecting women.Being that Zawadi a women advocate was in the house.  

To support the great youth of the Kibera Film School, please visit our Global Giving Page

KIBERA FILM SCHOOL SHOOT'S PROMO VIDEO.

 Roy Okello and Grishon Onyango testing the sound recorder in readiness for K. F. S promo shoot.To be used as an advert for the school.















John Ilako a camera trainer at K.F.S talks of his experiences at the school.











Vincent Oduor a student shares thoughts on ways to shoot with Michael  camera instructor at Kibera Film School.













To support the great youth of the Kibera Film School, please visit our Global Giving Page

THE NORWAY FILM STUDENTS AT KIBERA FILM SCHOOL.

The students from Oslo, Norway Westerdals School Of Communication  the 2nd grade students visit Kibera Film School in their ongoing research to make documentaries in Kenya. The projects are based on the ideas that they are going to find universal stories on the other side of the planet, and they are all about everyday heroes and inspirational characters.

Norway School of Communication instructor and some of the students learning more about Kibera Film School an Initiative of Hot Sun Foundation from the assistant trainer Aida Achieng who is currently a trainee at Hot Sun Productions advanced class.

During the screening session of some of the Kibera Film School short films and feature film Togetherness Supreme's teaser in one of the classes at Hot Sun Foundation.











The visitors from Norway and Kibera Film School trainers,assistant trainers and trainees gathered to watch captivating films by Kibera Film School.

All excited and appreciate the great work by Kibera Film School.

Another session of pitching whereby the Norway students had to take the stage and present their ideas to everyone present.Kibera Film School trainers,assistant trainers and trainees wished to work together with the students from Norway in the documentaries production.









To support the great youth of the Kibera Film School, please visit our Global Giving Page

GETTING IN THE REEL WITH JINNA MUTUNE.

 Kibera Film School advanced class with Jinna Mutune,Director of Leo,a story about a Maasai boy achieving his dream against all odds. She was excited with the students' concentration during the Question an Answer session.

Students attentive as Jinna explains how to approach and convince sponsors to have them invest in a project one is planning to work on.

It was a great experience and everyone was motivated having a great film like Leo by produced Kenyans.

Jinna listening to a question from one of the students on what inspired her write the story Leo and how long it took during the pre-production stage.













To support the great youth of the Kibera Film School, please visit our Global Giving Page

BELGIUM-KENYAN EMBASSY AT KIBERA FILM SCHOOL.

 Embassy of the kingdom of Belgium ambassador to Kenya Bart Ouvry,his wife Carine Ouvry,Belgium Counsellor to Kenya Pieter Leenknegt,Hilai and Philopra visited Hot Sun Foundation an organization based in Olympic Kibera supported and funded by Africalia under the Belgium Co-orperation.

The ambasssador also got a chance to speak to the foundations trustees Nathan Collett,Pamela Collette and Mercy Murugi  discussing possible ways of ensuring the project of training youths in film goes on.





Apart from the official attire  the session turned out to be a social interaction between the guests and the film studets each one of them sharing their inspirational stories and more about their career lives as aspiring filmmakers.

Everyone was so excited and had a chance to watch the trailer and the making of Togetherness Supreme a feature film focusing on peace and reconcilliation.

They were so impressed with Hot Sun Foundation program despite it's location in the world's re-known slum Kibera.

Hot Sun Foundation staff,Kibera Film School trainers,assistant trainers,trainees and Visitors from The Belgium embassy in Kenya pausing for a group photo.

Josphat keya Hot sun Foundation program manager,Belgium ambassador to Kenya Bart Ouvry and the Belgium Counsellor to Kenya Pieter Leenknegt pause for a photo.

They also decided to talk a walk through Kibera Slum and enjoyed the beauty in it,according to them Kibera is so hospitable and busy like any other place.

To support the great youth of the Kibera Film School, please visit our Global Giving Page