As you might have guessed, it's been a busy time for us here at the African Environmental Film Foundation, with very few spare minutes in the day for blogging...but I hope everyone here is well, and managing to plan lots of trips to Africa, despite the glum world economic situation...

As you may have guessed, we have much news to report, most of which (fortunately for me) is contained in our latest newsletter, which is now available for download as a PDF document here (sneak preview of the cover, below).


We'd like to thank Sigourney Weaver, who narrated our latest promo film which you can view on AEFF's website. The film shows AEFF as it has largely been operating over the past ten years since its launch in 1998: essentially a small organization, adapting to circumstance and making films on a shoestring - but with great success in providing environmental education on a wide scale across many sectors of society in the East African region and beyond.

Building on the solid foundation it has created over the past decade, proving that its model for providing “Environmental Education through Film” really does work, AEFF is now embarking on ambitious expansion plans which will secure its future for many generations to come, and will enable the success of its first ten years to spread more widely across Africa and internationally.

You can read about our ambitious expansion plans in our newsletter, plus all our other news, including:

• Working with CBS to create a Public Service Announcement for broadcast to 92 million people (this is going to start airing in March, and will run 40 times a year for two years, so if you're in the USA, watch your screens!)...
• Progress on the 12 different educational films we currently have in production...
• Our ever-expanding Distribution Network and our growing list of Partners, including the Tribeca Film Institute in New York...
• And Much, Much More...

Don't miss Ian Saunders' account of the rhino translocation in Kenya's Tsavo West National Park, resulting in the first free-ranging wild rhinos in Tsavo West for 25 years.




Finally, you can now buy some of our films from our website or directly from Amazon, thanks to our partnership with the Tribeca Film Institute through their Reframe platform. We only have three titles currently available for sale online, but within a couple of months there will be another three, and by the end of the year a total of at least 12 films will be available.
In line with our core mission, our films will remain free of charge for educational and conservation organizations in Africa, but we have had so much demand for our films from individuals, schools and universities in America, Europe, Asia and Australia, that we decided to make them available for sale internationally. This not only serves to publicize this continent's environmental issues but also helps to generate funds which will enable us to continue supplying films free of charge in Africa.

The films are available at various different price points depending on whether they are for private or institutional use, and in three different formats: DVD, download to rent and download to own.

Titles currently available for sale are:

Natural Security (multi language DVD with option to view the film in English, Kiswahili or Maa)
From Kenya’s coast to its mountains, this film shows how people benefit from their natural ecosystems, both financially & through the supply of water from natural springs, the pollination of food crops by insects, and the maintenance of biodiversity. More info...

Running Dry (multi language DVD with option to view the film in English or Kiswahili)
A visually dramatic and hard-hitting documentary about water issues in Kenya (where people have just 30% of the water they need), explaining water cycles and threats to water availability due to deforestation, pollution and abuse of water reserves. More info...

A Keeper's Diary (multi language DVD with option to view the film in English, Kiswahili or Kikamba)
The amazing story of the Kenyan Elephant Keepers working with the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust to rear orphaned baby elephants. Seen through the keepers’ eyes, the film explores the psychology of the orphaned elephants and their understanding of us. More info...

Please note: The DVDs will automatically play in the default language, which is English, so if you want to watch the film in Swahili (or Maa or Kikamba, where relevant), you need to return to the main menu and select the appropriate language.

As usual, we've had lots of wildlife action going on around our home and the AEFF HQ here in Tsavo...and as usual I haven't had as much time as I would like to post stories on my Wilderness Diary, but a few tales are there for the reading...catch up with the Hippos on our Hippo Lawn, the Owlette who turned up for New Year and all the other magical birds that frequent this area...

Until next time...bye for now....