How It All Began

Fashioning Peace in Kenya

A Documentary by joshua bee alafia

55min

The time is mid May of 2008, five months after post election violence has displaced 500,000 Kenyans from their homes into IDP (Internal Displacement Person) camps as well as neighboring countries of Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia. Model Tess Njuhi, Photographer Barron Claiborne, and Filmmaker joshua bee alafa fly out from New York to visit the people effected by the post election violence and document Fashion for Peace, a fashion show and gala dinner bringing together some of Africa’s world-famous fashion designers and models to raise money to support the Alternatives to Violence Project which workshops non violence skills and helps in the healing process of people affected by the post election violence.

The story begins in Eldoret, home of Kenya’s largest IDP camp currently housing 20,000 people, 7,000 of them being children, where people crowd the cameras to tell their stories in between coverage of a youth football tournament. Kenyan animator Kwame Nyongo illustrates an 11-year-old boy’s story of how he watched his neighbors burn his house down and chase him and his grandmother out of town. Many more come and tell their stories and express their desire to simply start again, living peacefully, having forgiven the perpetrators of violence. Kenyan Photographer Boniface Mwangi illustrates some of the violence with his powerful photos.

From Eldoret we go to a fashion shoot in Mombassa, and hear from the visiting Designers Imane Ayissi (Cameroun/Paris), Pathe’Ouedraogo (Cote d’Ivoire), Bayo Adegbe (Nigeria), Kwesi Nti (Ghana), and Paul Herve Elisabeth (Martinique/Paris.)

Barron Claiborne shoots models wearing the designer’s wares at the beach and against rocky bluffs.

Kibera, a massive shantytown in Nairobi, was one of the most affected areas in Kenya. We hear from some of the local people how conditions are post elections as well as see some of the projects that Fashion for Peace has engaged members of the community in Kibera such as jewelry making and Peace Patches; scrap fabric is given to women who have been affected by the violence to make patches which are sold back to be sewn on garments by KikoRomeo, a local designer. We then hear from IDPs in Naivasha, where 8,000 people are housed in tents and wait to be relocated or integrated into the local community.

The finale is set back in Nairobi, where local designers join the Pan African ensemble of designers to throw a top-notch fashion event.

Fashioning Peace in Kenya is a documentary designed to gather support for those displaced people who wish to start a new life. The IDP camps are running out of resources and the government hasn’t devised a plan that can reintegrate the refugees into new communities. Following the lead of the Designers who created Fashion for Peace, it is time to take a hands-on approach to using art as a philanthropic tool that can directly bring change to those who need it most. This documentary can be sold to broadcast as well as pressing DVDs that can generate funds for IDPs in Kenya.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Update #2: We're at 40% of our goal and Two Weeks Left!

Update #2: We're at 40% of our goal and Two Weeks Left!


Hey My Folks!
So I took folks advice and went and put my mug on the new video and shortened it.  We've been kind of flatlined on the fundraising for the last two weeks, but that's okay, we have two weeks to go and a giant network of supportive folks like you to make this film happen!  We've received over 3300 "Likes" on Facebook, which could translate into reaching our goal if each one of those folks pledged just $2! 
I'm asking you to please fwd. the link to the new video and help us make this film happen!  If you haven't pledged to be a backer, please consider pre-ordering a DVD, buying a tee-shirt, becoming an associate producer or just pledging $2 and getting an MP3 download from our soundtrack! 
http://kck.st/jqgdzr
BigBigBigThanks!!!!
joshua bee alafia
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