At #YouTubeBlack Africa Celebration in Cape Town, Inspiring Stories of Africa Abound
Whatdoanengineer,astay-at-homemom, and a digital media entrepreneur have in common? They are content creators on YouTubeandbeneficiariesoftheplatform’s #YouTubeBlack Voice Fund, an initiative launched in 2020 to support and amplify Black Voices.
For three days in Cape Town, South Africa,YouTubehostedandcelebratedthe influentialcreatorsfromSub-SaharanAfrica aspartofitsannual#YouTubeBlackAfrica celebration. The event also witnessed the graduation of the #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund Creator Class of 2022, and the introduction of the 2023 cohort.
Over music, food, games, and dance, these creators connected and shared their experiences. For a moment, they let down theirhairanddancedtothepulsatingbeats of Africa. Be it at the RED Roof Bar where a reception was held for them or at The Avenuewheretheydancedthenightaway after the ceremony in the company of the exoticaquaticanimalsenclosedinagigantic aquarium. But beyond the fanfare, what really resonated with every attendee was the inspiring tales shared by the creators. Take,forinstance,MlungisiNkosi,aSouth Africanengineerwhoteachesmathematics and physical science at a community college. When the pandemic struck in 2020,
Nkosidiscoveredthatpeoplefromaffluent communitiescouldcontinueteachingand learning.
“But unfortunately, those who were fromunder-resourcedcommunitiescould not, and essentially I started teaching on YouTube just to try and provide access so that learners could continue teaching and learning,” he said.
Whenhestarted,hisYouTubechannel only had 5,000 subscribers but since he joined the #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund which provides participants with seed funding,mentorship,andothernetworking programmes and training, Nkosi’s channel has accumulated over 100,000 subscribers. He has also been able to set up a business.
Another content creator Adaeze JideonwofromNigeriadescribedherselfasa professionalhousewife.Sheresignedfrom herbankingjobtobecomeastay-at-home mom. She however found a purpose in sharing her journey and her passions on her YouTube channel, Adaeze Space.
“Gettingchosentobepartof#YouTube BlackVoicesFundwaskindofavalidation of what I was doing, and also having a YouTube Partner Manager helped me to understandhowtopackagemychannel in a better way. I was able to understand theanalyticsmoreandreachmyaudience better. It was really good. I was so happy to be a part of the class of 2022 because I
learned from other creators as well. You know,seehowotherpeopledowhatthey do. I remember when we had a cooking class. It was like organised chaos. So I’m reallyhappytobepartofit,”sheenthused.
WhenKenyanJustusNandwaclimbed the stage to share his experience, he captured everyone’s attention with his inspiring tale to make a difference in his community. Although he had a humble beginning,Nandwawhoisajournalistand a digital media entrepreneur has found a sort of fulfillment using his YouTube channel ‘Shared Moments with Justus’ to put a human face to issues faced by ordinary Africans. At first, when he started uploading content on YouTube, it was mainly for fun.
“I was basically just having fun and doing the things that I was passionate about. But throughout my experience on #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund, it’s more of a turnaround because I can now earn a living out of it,” he disclosed.
He continued: “I started back in 2020 during COVID because I had the time and the knowledge, but I didn’t have the money,” he joked.
“SobasicallywhatIdoisallowpeopleto comeandsharetheirstoriesofexperiences that I think can be able to influence and impact other people’s lives.”
Nandwaconsidershimselfacustodian of African heritage.
“Through storytelling, I’m able to guarantee that the generations to come willbeabletoknowwherewehavecome fromasAfricansandwhatouraspirations were, and what we can do to carry on going forward. And so #YouTubeBlack Voices Fund has not just been helpful financially, but they have basically provided a place where I’m able to speak, but the networking that I’ve had and experienced has more or less validated thefactthatwehavebeenspeakinginone voice as Africans.”
Nandwa, who used to shoot from his house,saidhehasacquiredastudiowhere he can produce his show as well as other programmes. Thesestoriesareatestament towhatYouTubehopedtoachievethrough theinitiative:makinglocalcontentcreators globalasimpliedbytheHeadofYouTube Southern Africa, Zeph Masote.
According to him, some of the creators who benefitted from the initiative have gonetobuildtheirsmallandmedium-sized businesses.
“They employ tens of people as a result of them being on YouTube. That’s what we call success.”
He added that the company is passionate about raising African storytellers and creatives to be global in a sustainable manner so that it does not look like a flash in the pan.
AlthoughthefundislimitedtoNigeria,
South Africa and Kenya at the moment, theHeadofYouTubeEastandWestAfrica, Solafunmi Sosanya revealed that there are plans to expand to other parts of the continent.
Ascontentisthelivewireoftheplatform, Sosanyaaddedthatthecreators’community is getting more diverse each day and as such, it is the main focus of the company. “Because essentially they build the audiences that come to view their products on YouTube.”
For the Class of 2023, 40African creators were selected and the young Nigerian comedian Maryam Apaokagi popularly known as Taaooma alongside other Nigerian YouTubers are among the cohort. In addition, four music artists and two producers were selected for the Music and Songwriters/ Producer classes of 2023. Representing Nigeria in the music list are Asake and BNXN. They will be joined by Gyakie from Ghana, Kamo Mphela from South Africa. Hip-hop producer MashBeatzfromSouthAfricaandNairobibased producer Ukweli will be joining 17 #YouTubeBlack Voices Songwriters and Producers globally.
YouTube also announced that it will be directly investing in more than 500 creators andartistsfromacrosstheworldtosupport, grow, and fund their channels and content developmentthroughthe#YouTubeBlack Voices Fund in the next few years.