Our collaboration with the 38th edition of the Vues d'Afrique International Film Festival continues this year with the category Taking action for equality. This category, which is integrated into the festival's programming, proposes films that address, in their own way, the themes of gender equality and the struggle for equality.
CECI will award the Taking action for equality prize to one of these films at the closing ceremony of the festival. We look forward to meeting you on April 10 to discover the winning film, which will be circulated throughout CECI's network, in Quebec and internationally, in order to provote exchanges and discussions about the work and the issues related to gender equality. We would like to thank the members of the film selection jury, which is made up of CECI volunteers with diverse and inspiring backgrounds.
The festival takes place online from March 26 to 31 on TV5Unis.ca and in theaters from April 1 to 10 at the Cinémathèque québécoise.
Saphia Arhzaf, gender equality advisor in Senegal
Saphia Arhzaf was a researcher in education for CONFEMEN (Conference of Ministers of Education and Francophone States and Governments) and holds a Master's degree in international and intercultural communication. Her experience has taken her between Montreal, Marseille and Dakar. She believes deeply in equal rights and is involved in various cultural and social issues. Thus and believes that "an egalitarian future depends on our capacity to educate ourselves, to invest ourselves, to accompany ourselves. We are the source and inspiration of the word mosaic."
Vincent Auclair, business development consultant in Nepal
After a career as a notary and legal advisor specializing in business and commercial law combined with extensive experience as a trainer, Vincent has done several mandates as an international volunteer (Benin, Cameroon, Haiti and Vietnam). Because of COVID, he decided to live the experience of a remote volunteer, which allows him to share his knowledge with T-HELP (Trans-Himalayan Environment and Livelihood Program, Nepal). His mandate is to provide training in business plan development and implementation, adapted to the reality of marginalized women and young women in rural Nepal.
Tessie Nikuze, Women's Economic Empowerment Advisor in Rwanda
From Canada to Rwanda, Tessie is currently in Kigali where she is carrying out a mandate with CECI. Growing up in the Great Lakes region strongly influenced her interest in international development issues, which is why she chose to pursue university studies in the field. She also sits on the board of directors of CEED-Concordia, an organization dedicated to building the capacity of youth in vulnerable environments, which operates in Montreal, Canada and Gulu, Uganda. Tessie is keen to contribute in some way to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in sub-Saharan Africa. From Yann-Arthus Bertrand to Aïssa Maïga, Tessie closely follows the work of activist filmmakers as she finds them to be a powerful and effective way to raise awareness about the most pressing issues facing our society.
Marie-Louise Vallée, former volunteer in Burundi
Having collaborated with an audio-visual production center for schools in Bujumbura in 1988-1889 with CECI, she intervened as a trainer with Homéopathes de Terres sans Frontières (HTSF), in Burundi. She founded a multidisciplinary health center in Montreal and implemented a Solidarity Cooperative in the marketing of local products in the Eastern Townships. This is where a Bachelor's degree in Recreation, a professional homeopathy diploma, multiple trainings and a lot of curiosity can lead!
Aimée You, communication and awareness-raising advisor in Burkina Faso
Aimée You holds a master's degree in humanitarian aid and international cooperation. Her experience has taken her between Montreal, Haiti, Dakar, Abidjan and Kaya. She strongly believes in gender equality, in better living conditions for the disadvantaged and vulnerable on a global scale and is committed to supporting voiceless communities on a daily basis. Thus, "it is only possible to contribute to making this world a better place if we invest our resources in awareness, education and citizen mobilization".
