YALI Documentary a ‘Passion Project’ for Bisk

This year, we premiered our first film documentary, The Business of Good: Young Africa Rising. Why you might ask, is an online education facilitator like Bisk in the film business? Well, you see, we found an inspirational higher education story that was worth telling.

But, first, let me back up a bit.

For the past few years, our partners at the University of Notre Dame have supported a phenomenal U.S. Department of State program known as the Mandela Washington Fellowship of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI).

The program identifies promising entrepreneurs from sub-Saharan Africa and empowers them with U.S.-based leadership training, academic coursework and networking opportunities.

Bisk had the privilege of documenting the six-week experience of 25 Mandela Washington Fellows at Notre Dame. What began as another video initiative for our team quickly became a passion project. You see, these talented leaders from various African nations opened our eyes to the power of perseverance.

With an embedded videographer who lived on campus with the Fellows, we were able to capture raw moments of awareness, concern, thrill and angst.

Many of the Fellows were making their first trip to the United States and learning a new approach to business and entrepreneurship. In addition to attending academic sessions at Notre Dame, they met with business leaders, took in a baseball game, competed for grants and got a taste of dorm life.

I also understand a few grumbled, good-naturedly, of gaining weight including one of the Fellow’s stating “You Americans really like cheese and bread.” =)

This project brought together groups of people who had never before interacted — both in front of and behind the camera. Watching our film premiere at the beautiful Tampa Theatre was an emotional moment for me. Yes, it was the payoff for months of work, but it was also so much more.

Looking around the theater and seeing so many faces who touched and supported this project in one way or another was beyond fulfilling.

The Business of Good: Young Africa Rising is only the start of a meaningful story still being written. Now, as I follow my new LinkedIn connections from Uganda, South Africa and Zimbabwe, and see the jaw-dropping posts of their great successes, I’m ready to begin the sequel.

If you haven’t had a chance to watch it, you can find it here: http://bit.ly/BOGYAR_s

Written by Mindy