AFLAMUNA Impact Fellowship

impact
narrative
shifts

AFLAMUNA Impact Fellowship

A year-long vocational training program
for professional impact-makers

This vocational training program spans one year and prepares participants from diverse backgrounds to become professional impact-makers through six modules.
The program combines theoretical and practical training through a blend of online and in-person group and individual sessions. Fellows are first trained in topics such as impact strategies, fundraising, awareness-building, partnership development, alternative distribution, and security and safety.
They are then placed on international impact campaigns to gather first-hand knowledge and insight from experienced practitioners before teaming up with Arab film teams to design and launch their own Impact Campaigns and kick off their Impact Production journey.

AFLAMUNA Impact Fellowship :: edition 1

Meet the fellows & the participating films.

Aya Yusuf

Egyptian producer, director, and editor, founder of “Shoghl Cairo Pictures”. Aya graduated with a degree in Mass Communications from Cairo University and began working as an editor and producer for television and online content. Working in various media organizations sparked her passion for documentary film and the impact it can have on raising awareness on human rights and social injustice issues.

Budoor Sabeeh

Documentary filmmaker, founder of “RAW Media Production” , producer and screenwriter for “The Marshes of Iraq” documentary film with Cop26 and the British Council, producer of “Ghinwa,” a documentary film about arts and cultural diversity in Iraq by Al Jazeera Documentary.

Anas Damra

Human Rights activist for people with disabilities, co-founder of “Ebni” a campaign focused on the rights of people with disabilities, and an advisory committee member of “Bihimoona” Campaign demanding granting health insurance for refugee children with disabilities living in the Gaza Camp in Jordan.

As a Creative Producer, Anas produced TV programs (documentary series, reality TV shows) for ROYA TV and Shahed. He also produced investigative reports and short films for NGOs and Television.

He was granted the Human Rights Journalist of the Year Award for 2019.

Ghadeer Tyrah

Young activist, journalist, writer, video producer, and reporter for Yemeni and foreign agencies.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations and Advertising/Media. Taira is the Communications and Advocacy Officer at the National Foundation for Development and Humanitarian Response, speaker & content writer for Podcast Icon, Member of “food 4 humanity”, member of “Women’s solidarity,” “ESD” & “Green TVET” Youth Leader at UNESCO Beirut, participants in the impact lab a program by Beirut DC, a speaker in the “Social Media & Youth” event by Radio Netherlands International RNW.

Ahmad Taj

Filmmaker, Photographer, and Art-Based Social advocacy enthusiast. Concerned about freedom of expression, intercultural dialogue, and art democratization for social change.
Started his filmmaking experience independently in 2017, as he made seven short films. His films participated in several film festivals internationally and won two awards.

Ameenah Sawwan
Campaign manager and advocacy trainer located in Berlin, specializing in creative campaigning, advocacy, and digital mobilization. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English translation and interpretation from the “Damascus University”, a Bachelor of Arts in Ethics and Politics from “Bard College” Berlin, and is currently completing her Master’s degree in global media and digital cultures at SOAS.

Linda Bilal

Journalist, column writer, and broadcaster. Director of the Audio Section with the Syrian Female Journalists Network “SFJN”. She has taken many training courses in audio and written media, the news editor, project management, and courses on the professional integrity of journalists in war. And worked as a trainer for the provision of written and audio productions in the ASML, Association for Women Journalists & Correspondents” in Syria. She created “The Syria podcast”, and acted in many Syrian series podcasts, such as “The Impossible Stage” with Mena prison forum and “The Clerk” with Heinrich Böll Stiftung.

Nada Rizk

Filmmaker and founder of “Lightworkers Films.” Nada worked as a visual artist and assistant director/producer in feature films and television programs, as well as a producer/director in commercials. Rizk is currently the cultural project manager and director/ producer of her first feature film project.

Manar El Zohery

Faculty of Mass Communication graduate and Arab Film TV School. She underwent a fellowship with the German director Francisca Araiza. She directed short documentaries such as “ Soul will” and“We Can Be Lost”. Zouheiry was filmmaking trainer at Yash, a cooperative project between Egypt and Germany. She works as a freelancer at Union of Media Women in Egypt.

Samira Kojok

Human rights professional and activist who is actively trying to understand and unpack their experiences and realities doing this work in the region. I work on multiple intersections such as human rights, psychology, advocacy, storytelling, capacity building, and knowledge production to create effective social and political change.

Participating films

Aida Returns by Carol Mansour
Lebanon

This is Aida’s story, the director’s mother who struggles with Alzheimer’s and memory loss. She is comforted by the frequent “return” to her youth in Jaffa and her journey back there eventually.

A tribute to the past forcibly taken from her and an attempt to restore the individual and collective memory of Palestinians, who are prevented from returning to their homeland even after their death.

Life is Beautiful by Mohamed Jabaly
Palestine

Shocked to be displaced, Mohamed is forced to confront being stateless – a label he rejects.
The film is an insider’s take on what it means to leave home and persevere despite being denied permission to work and travel. Using his camera as a diary, Mohamed records seven years of triumph and defeat, providing a unique insight into a modern struggle for self-determination.

Crocodopolis by Omar Manjouneh
Egypt

A documentary about a dazzling world above and below water. The film follows environmental researcher Mohamed Ezzat and his team in Lake Nasr in their attempt to protect the crocodiles from being hunted.

Do You Love Me by Lana Daher
Lebanon

Lana Daher’s journey through Beirut’s fractured historical, social, cultural, and political landscapes. Using mainly archive footage, the film weaves the past and present together to better understand Lebanon’s history and current status today.