NEWF - Nature Environment & Wildlife Filmmakers

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NEWF - Nature Environment & Wildlife Filmmakers

What started out as an annual Congress has grown to become an all-year impact and outreach organisation.

Through an integrated slate of programs, we inspire and incubate emerging science, nature, wildlife and conservation storytellers in Africa.

17/09/2026

✨ Rooted at eKhaya | Intern Reflections
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Every year, we bring a little extra magic to our community by organising a matric dance for a local high school. While it has become an annual tradition, each celebration brings new excitement, unforgettable moments...and sometimes challenges. This year was no exception!

From booking the artist to bringing every detail together, the anticipation continued to build. One particularly stressful moment came when we couldn’t find the event banner despite searching everywhere. We finally found it on the morning of the dance...a valuable reminder about preparation and keeping track of important event materials!

Seeing the excitement on the learners’ faces made every challenge worthwhile. When Mawelele took to the stage, shared meaningful words and sang so beautifully, we were reminded why this celebration matters.
This was more than another event on the school calendar or at eKhaya. It gave the learners an opportunity to celebrate how far they have come, enjoy a special afternoon with their friends and teachers, away from the studying and exams, and pause before stepping into the next chapter of their lives.

For us, community service means being present, making people feel valued and giving back in ways that bring genuine happiness.

📝Written By: Minenhle Msane
📸Images By: Senamile Mdletshe
📣Shout out to Mawelele
💛Inspired By: Embetha High School Learners

28/08/2026

✨ Rooted at eKhaya | Intern Reflections
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Just another day at eKhaya…one minute, everyone was going about their usual business. The next, the whole place was buzzing! Why? Zolani was in the building, and what an incredibly special and uplifting experience it was!

Zolani Mahola is a South African singer & storyteller best known as the lead singer of Freshlyground. She became internationally recognised through the band’s success and their collaboration with Shakira on “Waka Waka” for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. After many successful years with the band, Zolani chose to pursue her own creative journey.

Having her with us and simply being in her presence was truly a gift. She filled the space with beautiful acoustic music, love, encouragement and so much positive energy.

But what made the experience even more special was that we didn’t just listen, we shared in the moments together. We sang and connected through the joy of music. There was such a powerful sense of togetherness, as though, for a little while, we were all simply one voice, one spirit.
Her warmth and generosity lifted our hearts and reminded us of the incredible power of music to connect, inspire and bring people closer.

Thank you, Zolani, for gracing eKhaya, and us, with your presence, and for sharing your spirit and energy. We are grateful for an experience that uplifted our hearts, renewed our energy and created memories that we will always treasure.

What a beautiful celebration of music and love… eKhaya truly felt like home. We are overflowing with gratitude for every moment, every sound, and every soul we had the opportunity to share this experience with.

Today Zolani released her new music video for, “Masiyembo”, meaning return to the source. For me, this song is a reminder to reconnect with what grounds us and understanding that returning to the source does not necessarily mean going backwards, but instead remembering what we're made of and who we are, so that we can move with purpose.

🔗Watch and Listen to “Masiyembo” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyoFPOjVRMo

📝Written By: Minenhle Msani
📸Images By: Senamile Mdletshe & Kim Tommy

12/08/2026

✨ Rooted at eKhaya | Intern Reflections
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Imagine heading to the beach for an ordinary day, only to meet someone from another country searching the shoreline for a tiny creature you never knew existed.

That was how our story with Summer began. A recent graduate from the United States with a Bachelor of Science in General Biology and a focus in herpetology. She had a particular interest in animal behaviour and an incredible love for reptiles!

I thought to myself, “We’re from here, we know the area…” Our ubuntu kicked in and we were ready to help!

Our team packed the car with the essentials - camera, refreshments and field gear and off we went!

Soon this became an exchange of knowledge, while we offered support, Summer introduced us to the Coral Rag Skink. She told us how fast it is, how well-camouflaged it is and how closely it is associated with the ancient coral rag rocks of Black Rock in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. And get this, in South Africa, the Coral Rag Skink is only known to be found at Black Rock!

I know, right? Something so fascinating had been living right under our noses, yet we had never really stopped to notice it.

When we arrived, everything Summer had told us suddenly made sense. The rocks weren’t just rocks, they were a habitat to these species. We spotted the skinks moving across them before they quickly disappeared into the cracks and crevices.

What stayed with me most was realising that I had seen skinks countless times around my home, yet I had never really thought about them. I never imagined that one of them depended on this unique habitat for its survival.

What began with us simply helping a visitor became an experience where we all learned from one another. I left with more than photographs and field observations, I left with a deeper appreciation for our coastline and a reminder to look a little closer.

📝Written By: Thandazani Cwetshiswa Mdletshe
💛Inspired By: Stories shared by eKhaya Interns
📸Images By: Senamile Mdletshe

31/07/2026

✨ Rooted at eKhaya | Intern Reflections
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Before we started with the learner’s classes, I honestly thought road signs were just random numbers, shapes, and colours on the side of the road. It turned out I wasn’t the only one, majority of the class felt the same. I’d get so annoyed whenever we were driving somewhere and the driver actually followed the speed limit or slowed down. I’d just be thinking, “Can we please just get there already?”

But when I started my learner’s classes, that changed. I realised those signs aren’t just there for decoration. They’re there to guide, warn, regulate traffic, and keep everyone on the road safe. It made me see that every single sign means something.

After writing my first test during our class I got upset that I didn’t do well. I thought I understood everything. Instead of just telling me what I got wrong, my instructor wanted to understand how I got to those answers, explained where I went wrong, and then gave me more questions to help me challenge myself.

Many of us tried to memorise everything, but we soon realised that understanding the rules of the road was far more valuable than memorising answers. Now I find myself pointing at the signs whenever I take a walk to the shops and imagine myself driving there instead.

For me, this journey is about so much more than getting my learner’s license. It’s about becoming more independent, believing in myself, and taking one more step toward the future I want.

NEWFcommUNITY

📝Written By: Minenhle Msane
💛Inspired By: Stories shared by eKhaya Interns
📸Images By: Senamile Mdletshe

21/07/2026

✨Introducing a new series of posts written by the eKhaya Interns, sharing their experiences, lessons and moments that are shaping their journeys.

In the first reflection, Minenhle Msane shares what Mandela Day, storytelling and an unforgettable encounter with Dr Gcina Mhlophe taught her about hope, service and the spirit of ubuntu.
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Nelson Mandela’s legacy is more than a chapter in history, it lives on in every helping hand, every smile, and every selfless act of service.

This Mandela Day, we had the incredible privilege of celebrating with the remarkable Mam Gcina Mhlophe, whose stories reminded us that hope is a language we all understand. Through her storytelling, she wove together wisdom, resilience, and hope, showing us that stories are mirrors in which we see ourselves and windows through which we imagine a brighter future.
One of the most profound lessons she shared was her reflection on sunflowers, when there is no sunlight, they turn toward one another. It was a beautiful reminder that in life’s darkest moments, we should lean on, encourage, and uplift each other. Sometimes, we become the light that someone else needs.

The celebration became even more special when we had the opportunity to record a song with Mam Gcina Mhlophe in the studio, an unforgettable experience that we will cherish for years to come. It reminded us that music has the power to unite hearts, amplify hope, and inspire positive change. When our voices come together, they create a harmony that reaches far beyond ourselves.

As rivers never drink their own water and trees never eat their own fruit, we were reminded that our greatest purpose is found in serving others. The day was a beautiful celebration of ubuntu, compassion, unity, and the enduring spirit of Madiba.

Thank you, Mam Gcina Mhlophe, for sharing your wisdom, your stories, and your gift with us. Your presence made this Mandela Day truly meaningful and unforgettable.

Gcinamasiko Arts and Heritage Trust Gcinamasiko Heritage

Written By: Minenhle Msane
Images by: Senamile Mdletshe

09/06/2026

🎉 What a day! Join us in celebrating Silindile “Mama Sli” Mbuyazi… That’s right, she’s been named a 2026 National Geographic Wayfinder!

We are so immensely proud of Sli! From the day we met her, we knew she was a force of nature! Not only for her skill and leadership, but for the warmth, strength, and generosity she brings into every space she enters.

Through her work, Sli has trained more than 150 divers and opened pathways for storytellers and scientists and young people from her community to engage with the ocean. But her impact goes far beyond numbers. She has inspired every NEWF Fellow who has crossed her path, showing what it means to lead with courage, care, humility, and purpose.

To see Mama Sli join a global community of National Geographic Explorers is a powerful and deeply deserved recognition of her outstanding leadership in conservation, storytelling, and community-rooted change. The 2026 National Geographic Wayfinder Award is presented by Kia.

Congratulations, Mama Sli. We could not be prouder! 🥹

🔗 Read more here: https://news.nationalgeographic.org/national-geographic-society-honors-15-bold-changemakers-with-2026-wayfinder-award-presented-by-kia/

📸 Anthony Ochieng Onyango
National Geographic Society

08/05/2026

✨E·CO/26 - ABOUT TIME is a collaborative process that supports the construction of new visual narratives.

Through this OPEN CALL we are looking for groups or collectives who are ready to envision new futures for their communities through interdisciplinary creative expression.

How does your community understand and narrate time?

Through this collaboration, we aim to support stories that explore ancestral knowledge as a blueprint for where we are going.

Whether your collective is Africa-only or collaborating across regions with Ibero-America, we want to see how you use visual storytelling to rethink our collective journey.

‼️Submit your proposal by 10 May!
🔗 Find out more and Apply here: eco.vistprojects.com/en/
🌐 Apply in English, Portuguese, French or Spanish

📸 Images by Imagine the Fire of Memory Cohort 2025

06/05/2026

📣 OPEN CALL for visual artists, researchers, and creatives across Africa and Latin America!

The deadline is closing in on applications for E·CO/26: About Time.

This year’s theme challenges collectives to think about the relationship between the past, the present, and the future in our communities.

From revisiting histories and memory to engaging ancestral knowledge and imagining new futures, we want to see how you narrate time and its connection to territory.

💶 Selected projects will receive a €5,000 production grant, mentorship, and a seat at the table for a collaborative process of reflection and development.

🏡This journey culminates in a physical encounter at eKhaya (Sodwana Bay) in late 2026.

‼️ Deadline: 10 May 2026

🔗 Apply here: eco.vistprojects.com/en/

🌐 Apply in English, Portuguese, French or Spanish

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http://www.newf.co.za/

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