African School Of Storytelling (afrisos)

What African School Of Storytelling (afrisos) does

African School of Storytelling (AFRISOS) is a Tanzanian non-governmental organization founded in 2020 and headquartered in Arusha that preserves Africa's natural and cultural heritage through community-driven storytelling. The organization operates all-expenses-paid filmmaking and photography training programs, including a 10-day expedition workshop model conducted in iconic African locations (Okavango Delta, Kavango, Yaeda Valley, Namibia, Zambia, Rwanda) and the Hadzabe Media Center in Yaeda Valley, which trains indigenous Hadzabe and Maasai community members in professional-grade equipment operation (Sony FX6 cinema cameras) to self-document their cultural traditions. Since 2021, AFRISOS has trained more than 80 emerging filmmakers and photographers, produced over 35 films, and facilitated 30+ professional filmmaking jobs for graduates.

The organization's product surface spans documentary film production, the Camera Donation Campaign (an in-kind equipment supply chain routed through participating Tanzanian safari lodges such as Asilia, Nomad, and Alex Walker's Serian), the Opportunities Spotlight curation platform, a monthly newsletter, and the co-hosted Wildscreen Festival Tanzania. AFRISOS runs a non-profit revenue model sourced from individual donations (online, bank transfer via I&M Bank Tanzania, PayPal, and tax-deductible giving through a US 501(c)(3) partner), competitive grants from impact-focused organizations (Jackson Wild X Earth Alliance, DocA/DOCUBOX, Pulitzer Center, FIFDH), and in-kind equipment contributions. Go-to-market is community-led (application-based mentee selection), event-driven (film festivals and community screenings), and direct-to-consumer for donations. Core strategic partners include Wildscreen, BBC Studios Natural History Unit, Jackson Wild, PAMS Foundation, The Jane Goodall Institute, Dorobo Fund, and The Great Spine of Africa / The Wilderness Project, with international award recognition across Jackson Wild, FIFDH Geneva, and the 82nd Picture of the Year International in 2024-2025.

Name

African School Of Storytelling (afrisos)

Legal name

African School Of Storytelling

Website

https://afrisos.ngo

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

African School of Storytelling (AFRISOS) is a Tanzanian non-profit founded in 2020 that provides all-expenses-paid filmmaking workshops and indigenous community media training to preserve Africa's cultural and natural heritage.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Filmmaking and Storytelling Education Programs

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Production (512110), Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512), Motion Picture and Video Industries (5121), Photography Studios, Portrait (541921)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819), Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Travel & Adventure Documentaries (MPADADAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Arts & Culture Documentaries (MPADADAI), Film Festivals & Festival Organizers (MPADAKAD), Public Media Partnerships & Content Co-productions (NGO/Cultural) (MPABADAN), Photography & Videography Workshops (THAJAKAD)

Keywords

• Filmmaking education programs
• Documentary filmmaking training
• Indigenous media production
• Community storytelling workshops
• Conservation documentary films

Headquarters

HQ city

Arusha

HQ country

Tanzania

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: AFRISOS operates primarily through donations from individuals, organizations, and supporters. The organization accepts online donations, bank transfers (I&M Bank Tanzania), stock/share transfers, checks, and PayPal. Tax-deductible donation options are available through a US 501(c)(3) non-profit partner. The organization also accepts in-kind donations of filmmaking equipment.
2. Equipment Crowdfunding: The organization runs crowdfunding campaigns where supporters can contribute specific amounts ($10, $30, $50, $100 or custom) to provide cameras and equipment for indigenous storytellers. This is presented as a separate campaign from general donations.
3. In-Kind Equipment Donations: Accepts non-monetary donations such as filmmaking equipment (cameras, tripods, microphones) which are vital for training programs and enhancing story quality. Equipment can be dropped off at participating lodges in Tanzania (Asilia, Nomad, Alex Walker's Serian) or mailed to the office.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

AFRISOS is a Tanzania-based non-governmental organization that delivers all-expenses-paid filmmaking and photography workshops to emerging African storytellers, pairing mentees with professional mentors and premium equipment (including Sony FX6 cinema camera kits) at expedition sites across East, Southern, and West Africa. It also operates the Hadzabe Media Center — a community-owned hub in Yaeda Valley, Tanzania — that trains indigenous (Hadzabe) community members to document and preserve their own cultural heritage using photography and filmmaking. The organization co-produces and distributes documentary films on African wildlife, conservation, and culture, and co-hosts the Wildscreen Festival Tanzania alongside Wildscreen and BBC Studios Natural History Unit.

Product overview

The African School of Storytelling (AFRISOS) is a non-governmental organization that provides community-driven storytelling programs focused on preserving Africa's natural and cultural heritage. The organization operates as a training and mentorship institution offering multiple interconnected programs: the 10-Day Filmmaking Workshop and Expedition Filmmaking Workshop (providing all-expenses-paid intensive filmmaking training with mentorship and access to professional equipment), the Hadzabe Media Center (empowering indigenous communities with tools and training to document their own stories), documentary film production (including the Swahili conservation film Chameleon Corridors and over 30 other titles), the Camera Donation Campaign (equipment support initiative), Opportunities Spotlight (resource sharing for filmmakers), and the co-hosted Wildscreen Festival Tanzania. The programs are designed to be fully funded and accessible to emerging African filmmakers and indigenous communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 10-Day Filmmaking Workshop An all-expenses-paid intensive workshop providing emerging African filmmakers with mentorship in story structure, equipment maintenance, subject interviewing, and final product editing while simulating authentic expedition conditions. Designed for passionate African filmmakers who want to create professionally-produced films about African nature and culture.
• Expedition Filmmaking Workshop A fully-funded workshop that helps filmmakers master cultural storytelling while connecting with Africa's rich landscapes and indigenous communities. Conducted at iconic African locations including the Okavango Delta (Botswana), Kavango (Namibia), Zambia, Rwanda, and Yaeda Valley (Tanzania), combining cultural storytelling with immersion in African landscapes and communities.
• Hadzabe Media Center A dedicated community-owned hub for storytelling, photography, and filmmaking in the Hadzabe community in Yaeda Valley, Tanzania. It empowers indigenous (Hadzabe) community members to document their own lives, traditions, and environment, creating a digital archive of cultural heritage preserved for future generations.
• Documentary Films Authentic narrative films produced by AFRISOS mentees and filmmakers that bring Africa's heritage to life, including titles such as Chameleon Corridors, Ts'ikayo & Duduk'we, When Values Shift, Pride, The Protector, Children of Honey, and over 30 other films covering wildlife, conservation, and cultural heritage themes. Award-winning at Jackson Wild, FIFDH Geneva, Green Film Festival Accra, and other international festivals.
• Wildscreen Festival Tanzania A wildlife film festival co-hosted by AFRISOS in partnership with Wildscreen and BBC Studios Natural History Unit. It features headline talks, panel discussions, workshops, screenings, and networking sessions, and includes the Wild Pitch competition that awarded $19,000 across three winning filmmakers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80+ mentees trained since 2021
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

27 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and supporting.

• DocA (Documentary Africa)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partner in Real Reel Impact (RRI) Project with DOCUBOX. AFRISOS won $5,000 Impact Grant at Doc Day: Impact Edition East Africa at Baraza Media Lab for Children of Honey impact campaign.
• DOCUBOXcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Co-provider of $5,000 Impact Grant with DocA as part of Real Reel Impact (RRI) Project supporting African documentary impact campaigns.
• Earth AllianceflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Co-grantor with Jackson Wild of $30,000 Impact Campaign Award for Chameleon Corridors supporting Eastern Arc Mountains conservation.
• Geneva International Film Festival and Forum of Human Rights (FIFDH)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Children of Honey documentary won 10,000 Swiss Franc Storyboard Impact Award during Impact Days program at FIFDH Geneva, supporting Hadzabe Media Center.
• Kavango Wilderness ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024On-ground support partner for Expedition Filmmaking Workshop in Kavango, Namibia. Provided local logistics and expertise for mentees from Angola, Namibia, and Botswana to create five short films about the Kavango region.
• WildscreenflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024AFRISOS partnered with Wildscreen and BBC Studios Natural History Unit to co-host Wildscreen Festival Tanzania - Tanzania's first wildlife film festival. The partnership brought 221 guests from 20 countries for 12 sessions, 43 speakers, and $19,000 in Wild Pitch awards.
• BBC Studios Natural History UnitflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partner in Wildscreen Festival Tanzania alongside Wildscreen and AFRISOS. Contributed to positioning Tanzania as a top filmmaking destination and uplifting African talent.
• PAMS FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Impact campaign partner for Chameleon Corridors Impact Campaign supporting Eastern Arc Mountains conservation. Contributed to winning Jackson Wild X Earth Alliance Impact Campaign Award.
• The Jane Goodall Institute (Roots and Shoots Tanzania)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Impact campaign partner for Chameleon Corridors Impact Campaign. Roots and Shoots Tanzania engaged in community outreach and conservation education as part of the campaign.
• Tanzania Forest ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Impact campaign partner for Chameleon Corridors Impact Campaign. Collaborated on protecting unique species found nowhere else in Tanzania's Eastern Arc Mountains.
• GreenManjaro FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership for 'Climate Through Young Eyes' photo competition and Kili Kids Climate Festival. Supported by Pulitzer Center, the competition invited Africans to submit climate action photographs.
• Nomad TanzaniacoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Ethical and sustainable tour operator partner for community film screenings near Tarangire and Serengeti national parks. Collaborated on bringing films to communities and conservation conversations.
• Amberjack FilmssupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Impact campaign partner for Chameleon Corridors Impact Campaign. Contributed to Jackson Wild X Earth Alliance Impact Campaign Award success.
• My World Film GrantsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Impact campaign partner for Chameleon Corridors Impact Campaign supporting Eastern Arc Mountains conservation efforts.
• Global Impact Producer AlliancesupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Impact campaign partner for Chameleon Corridors Impact Campaign contributing to Jackson Wild award win.
• Pulitzer CentercoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Supporter of 'Climate Through Young Eyes' photo competition run in partnership with GreenManjaro and AFRISOS. Provided credibility and support for continent-wide climate photography initiative.
• Arete Arts FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partner for Art + Filmmaking Workshop in Togo, bringing together 30 aspiring creatives and environmentalists from West Africa. Led by mentors including Jigar Ganatra, Melody Sky, and Richard Camp.
• Silverleaf AcademysupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Education partner for Kili Kids Climate Festival bringing together 1,500 students from Tanzania's Northern Zone to learn about climate change and adaptation.
• Stichting PharussupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partner in Kili Kids Climate Festival for climate education and awareness among Tanzanian youth.
• Durham UniversitysupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024AFRISOS ran a 1-week workshop on non-extractive filmmaking for researchers at Durham University UK, demonstrating commitment to ethical storytelling practices.
• Jackson WildflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Jackson Wild Summit partnered with AFRISOS for Chameleon Corridors Impact Campaign. Co-grantor of $30,000 Impact Campaign Award with Earth Alliance at 2025 Summit.
• NkashibwsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024On-ground support provider for Expedition Filmmaking Workshop in Okavango Delta Botswana, helping facilitate 6-day workshop with Wildscreen Botswana 2025.
• I&M BANK (T) LTDsupportingOthers · 1 January 2024Banking partner for AFRISOS donations. Account Name: African School Of Storytelling, Account Number: 30027147001, SWIFT: IMBLTZTZXXX for wire transfers and donations.
• The Great Spine of Africa (The Wilderness Project)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Multi-year partnership for expedition filmmaking workshops across African rivers and landscapes. The Great Spine of Africa (operated by The Wilderness Project) collaborates with AFRISOS on all-expenses-paid workshops in iconic locations including Okavango Delta, Kavango, Namibia, Zambia, Rwanda, and Yaeda Valley. Mentors from both organizations guide mentees through intensive storytelling expeditions.
• Dorobo FundcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Long-standing partner for Hadzabe community work. AFRISOS joined Dorobo Fund at the first general meeting of the entire Hadzabe tribe (400+ members from 5 regions) to strengthen allyship and help represent community needs.
• Ujamaa Community Resource Team (UCRT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partner with Hadzabe community alongside Dorobo Fund and Carbon Tanzania. Invited to strengthen allyship at 6-day general meeting of Hadzabe community addressing land rights and cultural preservation.
• Carbon TanzaniacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Long-standing partner for Hadzabe community cultural heritage preservation. Collaborated with AFRISOS at Hadzabe general meeting addressing community priorities.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• PAMS Foundation: Tanzanian wildlife conservation NGO that co-partnered on the Chameleon Corridors impact campaign; adjacent emerging player that connects conservation funding and field operations the same way AFRISOS connects conservation storytelling.

Broad incumbents

• Doc Society: International documentary impact organization operating Good Pitch and impact-campaign programming; broader incumbent serving many of the same impact-campaigning roles AFRISOS plays for African conservation films like Chameleon Corridors.
• Hot Docs: Canadian documentary festival and industry organization; comparable as an established festival operator and documentary-talent platform adjacent to AFRISOS's Wildscreen Festival Tanzania.
• Sundance Institute Documentary Fund: Well-funded US foundation supporting documentary storytelling globally; comparable as a larger grantmaker/incumbent in the documentary development space where AFRISOS competes for talent and project funding.

Direct peers

• Africa No Filter: African story-telling grantmaker and listed AFRISOS partner; comparable as a donor and capacity-builder focused on African narrative change and African filmmakers.
• Wildscreen: UK-based wildlife film charity and the operator of the long-running Wildscreen Festival in Bristol; AFRISOS co-hosted Wildscreen Festival Tanzania directly with Wildscreen, making it the closest comparison in events/community-driven wildlife storytelling.
• DOCUBOX: East African documentary film incubator that partners with DocA; comparable to AFRISOS as a documentary-training and impact-campaigning organization serving African filmmakers.
• DocA (Documentary Africa): Pan-African documentary support organization; co-grantor of AFRISOS's $5K Impact Grant and a direct peer in running Doc Day: Impact Edition style programming for African filmmakers.
• Jackson Wild: US-based summit organization for natural-history storytelling and a co-grantor of the Jackson Wild X Earth Alliance Impact Campaign Award that AFRISOS won; comparable as a peer-managed global platform connecting storytellers, funders and conservation NGOs.

Regional players

• Dorobo Fund: Long-standing AFRISOS partner specifically working with the Hadzabe community on land rights and cultural preservation; comparable as a Tanzania-based organization working with the same indigenous community from a different angle (rights vs. storytelling).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AfrisosNGO
• Facebookfacebook.com/afrisos.ngo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/afrisos
• Instagraminstagram.com/afrisos

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about African School Of Storytelling (afrisos)