Solutions Storytelling Project: Africa [2026]

🎬 Apply now! For SSP Africa 2026

A collaborative storytelling fellowship that connects regional filmmakers and social innovators in Africa (2026) to produce cinematic, short documentary films that catalyze positive change. These are films with a cause, rooted in real social issues and the solutions being created. SSP is from the Video Consortium, supported by the Skoll Foundation, for a more equitable future.

During this year-long program, which runs from January through December 2026, 15 African (born and based) filmmakers are paired with 15 inspiring nonprofit organizations. Filmmakers will be supported with robust resources, connections, and community to produce grounded, human-first short films that are cinematic and engaging, breaking away from the typical NGO/branded/institutional film. These films are designed to innovate the genre, showing mastery over the creative medium of film while still working within the confines of branded film.

Now in its fourth year, SSP has expanded across Latin America and Asia, and following the success of its first Africa edition, it is returning for a second edition!

SSP will not only guide you through the completion of a brilliant short film to use in your portfolio, but concurrently, the program will equip you with tailored industry guidance, hands-on mentorship, access to gear and resources, and deep peer-to-peer connections to jumpstart and fuel sustainable careers in nonfiction impact-driven filmmaking.

Through this program, you will:

Build skills: Master budgeting, client relationships, and impact strategies while learning to balance your creative vision with collaborators and brands.
Create impact: Produce a cinematic short film that makes a difference for a local organization and strengthens your reel.
Advance your career: Push the boundaries of nonfiction storytelling, with the chance for your work to be pitched to major outlets through the Video Consortium.

This is more than a capacity-building program; it is a creative challenge. You will be pushed to innovate branded storytelling and create cinematic, character-driven nonfiction short films that will chart a new path for the genre — work that is vital to building a sustainable filmmaking career in this era.

How to know if this program is for you?

You want to push your craft beyond typical NGO/branded work and create cinematic, character-driven, socially impactful films.
You’re collaborative, willing to learn, and excited to build community. This program is designed for filmmakers who are eager to collaborate and explore shared creative choices. If you prefer to work entirely on your own vision, this might not be the best fit.
You care about social impact and believe films can spark real change.
You’re ready to experiment and innovate within constraints — showing that branded content can still be bold, artful, and powerful.

Program Details for Filmmakers:

$7,000 production budget for producing this short documentary (to be used for travel, miscellaneous production items, hiring crew if applicable, etc).
$3,000 stipend for participation in the cohort of other filmmakers, offering and receiving support in a highly collaborative learning environment.
You will be paired, by the SSP team, with a local nonprofit “client” organization and produce your film from start to finish, with the collaborative mentorship and guidance of SSP, guest mentors, and the rest of your filmmaking cohort.
You’ll learn how to create a brief, a comprehensive budget, shot lists, and a call sheet.
You’ll lead pre-production, production, and editing in deep collaboration with your cohort and SSP Team for maximum growth and story impact. Please note that the post-production will include multiple rounds of feedback to help your film reach its highest potential.
Throughout the year, you’ll receive tailored support, a range of master classes from industry professionals and resources, editing help, gear support, and more.
You will also be trained in how to build a strong personal brand and leverage social media to effectively showcase your work.
You’ll receive hands-on mentorship throughout the process.
Through the program, you’ll join the international nonfiction media pipeline via Video Consortium membership—gaining unique support to connect with global media organizations and professionals for future work and collaborations.

Eligibility Requirements: To be considered for the program, you must be:

From and living in Africa
Experienced in nonfiction/documentary filming and editing
Ability to receive funds from US-based clients (ex: Paypal, bank wire transfer, Venmo, Zelle, Western Union).
Access to and experience with editing equipment and software (ex: Premiere Pro, Final Cut, DaVinci).
Access to camera equipment
Access to a stable internet connection
Care deeply about social impact and creating films that spark positive change.
Collaborative, open to learning, and willing to engage in community — this is a cross-cultural filmmaking program.
A deep desire to learn and grow as a filmmaker and help other storytellers grow as well.
A time commitment of 2 hours per week, in addition to production time, during the program for community building, knowledge exchange, and peer support.

With any questions about the program, please email ssp.africa@videoconsortium.org directly. We look forward to reviewing your application!

Applications for the Solutions Storytelling Project: Africa are now open!

As an SSP: Africa fellow, you’ll need to deliver the full storytelling package to showcase your work and create impact. This includes:

A 5–10 minute short film
A 30-second teaser (horizontal + vertical)
1–2 short outtakes/scenes that add depth to the story
Behind-the-scenes content (photos, video, and 10–30 cinematic stills)

Any filmmaker living and working in, and from, Africa may apply. Your reel and past projects will be considered during the decision-making process. We are especially looking for filmmakers who want to push the boundaries of branded storytelling, creating cinematic, character-driven, short documentaries with social impact at their core.

Each filmmaker will receive a $3,000 stipend for participation and a $7,000 budget per film ($10,000 USD total), paid directly to you. This budget will translate to approximately 2-4 days of on-location filming (with your partner organization) and a full month of editing. You’ll be supported throughout this process with production guidance and mentorship to ensure you create a successful film — a grounded, creative nonfiction story that highlights both the social issue and the solution being created, breaking away from the typical NGO/branded style.

SSP filmmakers and organizations are paired according to proximity in location and culture. If the final cohort of organizations does not include organizations located where you are, this may not be the right fit. However, filmmakers who are final contenders will be invited to join the Video Consortium as members and gain access to additional tools and resources.

Yes! However, the organization must be currently or previously supported by the Skoll Foundation. Unfortunately, organizations that have not been funded by Skoll are not eligible for this specific program.

You can watch the first edition of SSP Africa's films here and SSP Latin America's films here. SSP Asia films are still in production.

Please see above “program details.” Please note that when you’re not in production, you will be supporting fellow filmmakers with guidance and offering notes, while also learning a wide array of skills and techniques through the professional development aspect of the program. You can expect approximately 2+ hours/per week (or more, based on your preference) to be allotted to the collaboration/support/learning community beyond the time on the film being produced.

Absolutely! You have the flexibility to apply individually or as a team. If applying separately, you can mention each other in your applications. s. Alternatively, if you wish to hire someone for a specific role using a portion of your production budget, you can apply alone and mention their name for consideration. Each film will have one lead and a total budget of $9,000. If you choose to partner on a film, you can split the budget as you see fit.

Pairs will be created based on alignment of your skillset and interests and the organization’s mission, as well as your proximity to your organization’s desired filming location(s).

VC will help oversee and “EP” (executive produce) the entire process: your direct contact will be the SSP program’s directors, and we will have additional team members help with finishing the film and launching it into the world. Skoll and VC will provide notes on drafts (in addition to the featured orgs) and will showcase all finished films on their respective platforms.

We will notify you with final decisions between November and December and the program will start in January, 2026.

The program will be run mainly in English, but we want every filmmaker to feel welcome and supported. For French-speaking filmmakers, we’ll make an effort to provide translation support and inclusive communication, so that language never becomes a barrier to participation or connection.

Please email ssp.africa@videoconsortium.org with any additional questions.

Overtly promotional or fundraising videos
Institutional, text-driven explainers
Stories that lack a human, character-driven core
Fictional or fully animated projects (the program only supports nonfiction/creative documentary work)

The Solutions Storytelling Project: Africa is more than a film production initiative — it is a holistic program that equips organisations with both a cinematic story and the skills to turn that story into impact. While our filmmakers craft short, character-driven, locally made films, it is the organisations themselves that will carry these stories into the world. Each organization will receive a community impact stipend to facilitate the execution of their impact campaign.

To ensure your film drives lasting change, selected organisations will:

Actively participate in impact training and campaign design. SSP provides hands-on workshops tailored to your needs. These sessions prepare your team to create campaigns that move audiences, influence stakeholders, and strengthen your mission.
Commit staff time and leadership. Each organisation designates one point person to attend monthly workshops, check-ins, and development meetings (approx. 2 hours/month). This ensures continuity, alignment, and campaign success.
Drive the campaign’s longevity and sustainability. While filmmakers will support when possible, the success of your campaign will depend on your organization’s investment and active participation. SSP's program directors will be by your side throughout, offering tools, mentorship, and ongoing support.
Create tailor-made campaigns. With our guidance, you will design a campaign strategy that is actionable and relevant to your goals — from community screenings to policy roundtables and even global festival exposure.

By fully engaging in the process, your organisation won’t just walk away with a film — you’ll leave with a powerful, custom-built tool and the skills to use it effectively, ensuring your story reaches both local and global audiences and drives impact long after production ends.

Any organization working in Africa that has received Skoll funding can apply. Diversity of organizations and issue areas will drive SSP's decision-making process. Stories should touch on at least one of Skoll Foundation’s six strategic priorities (health & pandemics, effective governance, inclusive economies, climate action, information integrity, justice and equity). Reviewers consider:

Potential impact – how valuable will this film be in furthering your work?
Viability of project – can this film be completed on time and within budget?
Location of organization & filming
Compelling nature of the story - is there a powerful character being featured, or inspiring story of transformation?

We’re looking for solution-focused stories that highlight your model in action. Examples include:

A “day in the life” of someone served by your work
A before-and-after impact journey
Profiles of beneficiaries, implementers, or communities
Correcting a misconception through lived experience

The film projects we are not looking for include:

Overtly promotional or fundraising videos
Institutional, text-driven explainers
Stories without a human, character-driven core
Fictional or fully animated projects (only nonfiction/creative documentary work is eligible)

You can watch the first edition of SSP Africa's films here and SSP Latin America's films here. SSP Asia films are still in production.

Each film has a budget of $10,000, paid directly to the filmmaker-partner, covering gear access and limited filmmaker travel. Typically, films involve 2–4 days of on-location shooting, 1–3 featured characters/interviews, and weeks of editing.

In addition, your organisation will receive:

A small stipend for production-related travel/per diem if needed
Dedicated stipend to executing your impact campaign

Your organisation will be responsible for:

Providing guidance to the filmmaker on scope and access to subjects/locations
Offering clear, actionable feedback on project briefs and in-progress drafts
Dedicating one point person to coordinate internally and with SSP
Actively participating in impact campaign workshops and check-ins

We encourage organisations to be open to creativity and innovation. This is not about producing a standard NGO film, but a cinematic story that inspires, surprises, and sparks conversations in new spaces.

You’ll have full support throughout the process. The SSP co-directors will be your main contacts. Together, we’ll help you complete your film and successfully launch it into the world.

Absolutely. Please email us at ssp.asia@videoconsortium.org and we'll provide an application.

Filmmakers will be chosen based on the strength and alignment of their past work and proximity to your organization and filming location(s).

We will notify you with final decisions in late December.

Of course. Please email ssp.africa@videoconsortium.org and we will work with you to create a focused application.

Yes. Each organization can submit up to three applications or project proposals for consideration. Please note that we will only produce the strongest film project.

Definitely. Please add a link to the film in your application as a reference example.

Most films will be between 4 and 15 minutes.

Possibly! Please email ssp.africa@videoconsortium.org to express future interest.

If the story or work involves a partner or beneficiary of a Skoll awardee/grantee, they may apply as well.

Yes! If you are a current or past grantee, your organization is eligible to apply.

This program was built as a collaborative effort between Skoll Foundation and the Video Consortium, and is guided by one of the Skoll Foundation’s guiding principles: "We trust those closest to the challenge to lead the change. We aim to support those most proximate to the problems, those crafting solutions in close partnership with the communities most impacted."