“The Voices of Africa” launches on YouTube to honour the diversity of Africa

November 29, 2023 Samson Ayodeji

YouTube has launched “The Voices of Africa,” a social campaign to showcase the continent’s distinctive and traditional expressions, ahead of the Christmas period, during which many Africans travel to their hometowns outside of the cities in which they are based.

The campaign aims to highlight the richness of the continent’s cultural legacy and is being run in collaboration with a small number of African producers. YouTubers from all around Sub-Saharan Africa were given the task of producing and disseminating films on their channels that tell the stories of their distinct cultural legacies.

Via discussions with friends, family, and members of their local communities, as well as via stories about their local customs and practises, they have documented their understanding of cultural heritage. Both their channels and the YouTube Google Africa Channel have featured their stories.

“We at YouTube have always placed a high value on and acknowledged the diversity of creators, artists, and content available on the site. According to Twala Ngambi, Strategic Partner Manager at YouTube, “The Voices of Africa campaign is an opportunity that allows us to spotlight the uniqueness of Africa’s cultural heritage through the different voices and experiences of creators across the continent.”

“We’ve given the creators the opportunity to construct their legacy stories in a way that best connects with their audiences and demonstrates their authenticity, and we’ve encouraged them to be as creative as possible. We think every tale will inform, amuse, and inspire audiences, whether it’s by letting us into their homes, the elementary school they went to, or by sharing a special family recipe,” says Ngambi.

Among the creatives taking part in the campaign is Seithati Letsipa, a South African, whose video explores the meaning of Pabadimo, a traditional celebration of thanksgiving.

Kenyan Susan Wahome posted a video explaining the techniques of cooking delicious African food, and Nigerian designer “Stylebereme” took her fans on a trip through her passion for African Wax designs.

Wongel Zelalem also gave a thorough overview of her Ethiopian background, while Nigerian storyteller Steven Ndukwu journeyed to Kano to give a comprehensive look at Dambe, the West African martial style used by the Hausa people. Lastly, Kate Kendy of Kenya took the audience on a tour of her background, history, and rural home.

South African artist Banele Ndaba took viewers on a tour of his childhood, showing them how he was raised, went to school, and interacted with his family. Additionally, Reggie Mohlabi published a video in which he gives viewers a detailed peek at his past.

YouTube’s dedication to narrating African stories

African stories and voices have benefited greatly from the presence of YouTube, which gives producers a platform to tell tales that might not otherwise be heard. YouTube has been used by African video creators to present a variety of narratives that represent their cultures, customs, inventions, and social concerns.

Because of their widespread influence, African artists have been able to raise awareness of the vast diversity of their continent and encourage respect and understanding across different cultures.

The site presents a diverse range of material, such as music, documentaries, vlogs, and instructional videos, and acts as a bridge for cross-cultural engagement. Viewers all across the world can learn about African customs, languages, food, fashion, music, and daily life through these media. The accessibility of YouTube promotes intercultural communication and understanding.

The video platform recently hosted an event called “Celebration of Nollywood on Africa Day,” where a lot of Nollywood stars, creators, and members of the creative community were present.

In addition to honoring the filmmakers who bring these stories to life, the celebration honored the noteworthy achievements of African storytelling in cinema and the enchanted realm of Nollywood.

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Samson Ayodeji

I am literally obsessed with technology. I love writing about the latest news in technology in different markets, segments and sectors across the world.

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