May 9, 2012

A Grandmother’s Tribe

A great international exchange program goes beyond sharing knowledge and ideas. It empowers participants to become agents of change in their own communities. Through Felix Masi’s participation in the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), he received leadership and media training from US Government officials and prominent youth and non-profit leaders. This training motivated him to document the story of a community’s personal response to the global AIDS epidemic.

Felix, a Kenyan-born American, used the ideas he gained through IVLP, funded by the U.S. Department of State, to share the story of a challenge he witnessed growing up in Kenya. In rural Western Kenya, many children lose their parents to AIDS, and grandmothers often assume the burden and care for the orphaned children. His documentary, “A Grandmother’s Tribe,” tells the story of resilience and sacrifice in the face of a lost generation.

Further leveraging the skills honed during his exchange program, Felix founded Voiceless Children to help teach Kenyan caregivers life skills that promote self-sufficiency. To date, Voiceless Children has helped provide education and shelter for over 40 families in Western Kenya and Kibera, Kenya’s poorest slum. We are proud of program alumni like Felix, leaders who use these exchange programs to develop entrepreneurial and leadership skills that benefit not only themselves but also their communities.

Please join us on Thursday, May 10th at 5:30pm in FHI 360’s Globe Theater for a screening of “A Grandmother’s Tribe,” followed by a panel discussion featuring Felix and other distinguished speakers. A special viewing of a follow-on video that tracks the progress of the grandmothers will also be shown. Please RSVP here.

Homepage banner image from Borderless Productions.

3 Responses

3 Responses to “A Grandmother’s Tribe”

  1. Felix Masi on

    Hi Lisa,
    I can mail you a copy of the Dvd, a copy costs
    $20 mailing $5 let me know meanwhile I am planning a possible screening at National Geographic but for campaign and fundraising purposes, we are looking for groups to share A Grandmother’s Tribe!
    Thank you for supporting Voiceless Children.
    Felix

  2. lgray on

    Hi Lisa,

    Thanks for your comment. Apologies for the broken link! The Voiceless Children website can be found here: http://www.voiceless-children.org/. At this time we do not have any other planned screenings of the film, but you can purchase the film by visiting their website (www.agrandmotherstribe.com/). We will update our website if we plan on hosting another screening in the future.

  3. Lisa on

    Hi,

    I am just reading this and unfortunately missed the presentation. Upon trying to visit the Voiceless Children website/blog, the link seems to be no longer working/empty. Please let me know where I can find this website.

    Also, when will another screening be held…perhaps in NC?

    Thanks!
    Lisa