Hej from Alham, I am from Jordan. I am having wonderful time with a good company. It is a really amazing experience. At first I felt a little out of place in this different environment, but the experience soon turned into a pleasant adventure.
Hej from A’laa! I am from a border city in Egypt and currently I am in Sweden. This is one of the biggest opportunity in my life. From the first moment I arrived alone from Egypt, to the moment I was able to live with an animal, to the moment I learned carpentry and wood cutting and made my first project, everything seems so unique!
A’laa Aroog
Please click here for detailed information about the project.
19 Nov 2023
Ludosport at Tryckeriet
Team Building Activities
Project Prototyping Lesson
20 Nov 2023
Guided Tour at Dunkers Culture House
Workshop at Spektra
Sightseeing in Helsingborg
Introduction of Individual Projects & Board Game Night
21 November 2023
Developing Individual Projects
Kickboard at Jutan
PechaKucha at MindPark
23 November 2023
Presentation of the project at the Helsingborg “Human Rights Days” as part of the project funded by the Swedish Institute
24 November 2023
Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony & Networking Activity
25 November 2023
Filmmaking workshop at Helsingborg Arena
Creative Writing & Filmmaking at Tryckeriet
Film Screening at Tryckeriet
Preparation
The preparation phase fort his project included team meetings, zoom meetings, designing posters, designing See the Girl merch, organizing events with the local facilities, and promoting Midnight Soul Film Festival in Helsingborg.
18.11.2023
The Winners of the See the Girl Film Festival arrived to Copenhagen airport. Tania went to pick up their luggage from the airport so the winners team could spend a day sightseeing in Copenhagen. The winners team arrived to Helsingborg by ferry at night. Both the winners of the festival and the ProQvi team talked about their journey to Sweden as this was everyone’s first trip outside Ethiopia. During the time at Project Pocket both the winners and the ProQvi team went over the weekly program. After the planning, the winners of the festival went to their hostel nearby the Project Pocket to rest.
19.11.2023
After breakfast, ProQvi team introduced a local person who arranged activities with college girls in Ethiopia and who helped with the preparations of See the Girl Film Festival. They did networking and team building activities. They went to Tryckeriet to meet with the Ludosport Club and got a short training from the club members. Before the end of the day the winners gathered at the Project Pocket to locate the venues they visited in Helsingborg city map as a team building activity. After that they introduced to the project prototyping lesson to create their own projects during the study visit.
20.11.2023
At the start of the day the winners team did networking and team building activities. Following in the day they attended the guided tour at Dunkers Culture House and they participated in the art workshop at Spektra. At the end of the workshop the winners team had a chance to do sightseeing in Helsingborg city. The day ended with working on individual projects and playing board games at the hostel.
21.11.2023
The winners team continued to develop their individual projects. Since the ProQvi team planned to attend a Pecha Kucha event at Mindpark they practiced public speaking and prepared their presentations. The team went to Jutan to try kickboard sport and they went to Mindpark to do their presentations at Mindpark.
23 & 25.11.2023
The winners team participated and presented See the Girl Film Festival in the Human Rights Days Helsingborg. They introduced ProQvi and Project Pocket to the people who attended the fair. The project winners had the chance to meet with other NGO’s and human rights advocators in Sweden.
24.11.2023
The winners team continued to develope their individual projects. Later in the day they attended project prototyping sessions and they organized the Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony. Different NGO’s which attended Helsingborg Human Rights Days were invited to the Coffee Ceremony. Traditional Ethiopian dances were taught and participants were served Ethiopian coffee.
25 & 26.11.2023
The winners attended the filmmaking workshop at Helsingborg Arena. Since the Midnight Soul Festival started creative writing and filmmaking workshops were held. Participants attended the Midnight Soul Film Festival film screening at Tryckeriet. At the second day of the Midnight Soul Festival See the Girl Film critics were done and the winners implemented their individual projects.
I am very thrilled to be among the winners of “See the Girl” film festival by being the writer and director of one of the winning short films and get an opportunity for cultural study visit to Sweden.
It has been a great eye opener and I have learned a lot during my stay. On my way I have been able to visit Denmark (Copenhagen and Helsingor specifically) and was also able to visit Stockholm and Helsingborg in Sweden.
During my stay I have participated in a Human Rights Forum twice (I gave a brief introduction about our project with ProQvi team and other team members), presented in the PechaKucha presentation, visited different museums and art galleries In Helsingborg Sweden, presented my culture in our cultural coffee ceremony and met amazing people and even amazing friends.
Above all thanks to all mighty God and I am thank ful to the whole ProQvi team for giving me such an opportunity.
Meti Gebisa’s Linkedin Post
Meti Gebisa
Who doesn’t love a good cup of coffee?
Our time exploring the coffee culture in “See the Girl” Film Festival in Ethiopia was amazing, and now we’re bringing that experience to Sweden.
Join us for a special event where you can chat with guests from Ethiopia. We’ll be talking about the cultural importance of coffee in Ethiopia, all while enjoying a cup together. Don’t miss out on this unique and cozy get-together – we can’t wait to share it with you!
Please fill in the form on the link to participate.
Proqvi held its additional annual meeting, where important issues were discussed and decisions were taken. Please stay tuned to our website for new announcements.
Greetings from a Time Traveler,
The memory of the expression on my mother’s face when I shared my decision to travel to Ethiopia is still vivid in my mind. It wasn’t just her reaction that struck me, but also the reactions of everyone I confided in about my upcoming journey. I’m sure they all had a burning question in their thoughts: “How did you end up in a situation where you had to go to Ethiopia?”
What I can say is that this adventure had its roots long before I set foot in Ethiopia.
It all began while I was working on a short informational video for ProQvi’s Uganda project. The project’s mission intrigued me to such an extent that I started yearning for a similar experience myself. When Tania introduced me to the opportunity in Ethiopia, my mind immediately drew parallels to my previous volunteer work in the aftermath of the Turkey-Syria earthquake. I realized that getting involved in this project had the potential to teach me about my own limits and enable me to discover uncharted facets of myself in entirely new environments and challenging conditions.
Following extensive project planning and trip preparations, our journey to Ethiopia began. Despite having read extensively about Ethiopia in advance, this voyage marked my first-ever visit to Africa, casting me into the realm of the unknown.
Upon our arrival at Addis Ababa airport after a lengthy flight, I couldn’t help but notice the vibrant posters and decorations celebrating the Ethiopian New Year “2016.” In that moment, I couldn’t help but think about myself as Time Traveler, the enigmatic protagonist of H.G. Wells’ “The Time Machine,” a book I had read.
It was nearly dawn when we left the airport. A gentle breeze carried a sweet scent, while the first rays of the sun eagerly awaited their emergence from behind the cloud cover. The birds sang more jubilantly than I had ever heard before. In those initial moments, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had entered a realm entirely distinct from all my prior life experiences. We continued to relish this serene atmosphere while waiting for our shuttle, surrounded by bustling crowds eagerly anticipating their own shuttles or drivers, and for a moment, it felt as if we had stepped into another world altogether.
As the sun gradually ascended in the sky, our exploration of the city commenced. Despite the early hour, the streets teemed with people, and the city’s lights shone even more brightly than the day itself. It was as though the city was a masterpiece of collective art, where every detail stood alone, unique, and yet somehow harmoniously out of place with one another.
As we drove into the city, the sun’s soft emergence marked the beginning of our day’s adventure. Remarkably, even in the early hours, the streets were bustling with people, and the city’s lights outshone the natural daylight. It was as though the city itself were a living masterpiece, where no detail adhered to a specific pattern or harmonized with another.
In the evening, we ventured from our hotel to dine at a traditional restaurant. The dining room’s ceiling was adorned with paintings that narrated the story of Queen of Sheba, creating an enchanting ambiance. Seated at a neighboring table, we encountered a family of young women and their mother. As our conversation unfolded, a deep connection formed between us. Through our interaction with these women, I gained my initial insights into the life of Ethiopian women. Their responsibilities and choices, from a young age, operated on a vastly different scale compared to the women I had encountered in my previous experiences, including myself. To them, these aspects were an inherent and accepted part of life’s journey.
Following our dinner, we ventured together to a performance hall to witness a mesmerizing dance and music show. This experience left me contemplating the vivid and expressive nature of Ethiopian art, mirroring the colorful and vibrant spirit of the culture.
September 17
It was my inaugural experience of savoring a breakfast infused with a tantalizing blend of spiciness, alongside the refreshing sweetness of watermelon and a soothing cup of tea. If I were ever tasked with encapsulating my journey in Ethiopia using just one of my senses, I would unquestionably opt for the sense of taste.
Later in the day, following our breakfast, we had a meeting with the local organization ELİDA to strategize for the kick off event of the “See the Girl” film festival. The question loomed large: What could captivate people’s attention and unite them for this event? The answer? Tango!
I had always been fascinated by the way Tania conveyed powerful messages through tango. What left me even more astonished this time was that the idea to incorporate tango came from my own imagination. It’s fascinating how spending time with someone can influence your way of thinking and inspire creative ideas to emerge.
Following the meeting, we departed from the hotel and made our way to the monastery of the Franciscan Sisters Missionaries of Christ, where we were to be accommodated for the duration of the project. As we arrived at the monastery, we were welcomed by a grand entrance gate that concealed a garden resembling a piece of paradise. Stepping into this garden felt akin to discovering a small oasis within the desert, offering respite from the hustle and bustle of the city.
As we waited to meet the nuns, they graciously offered us papaya. It was a peculiarly fragrant and incredibly delicious fruit, unlike any I had ever tasted before. Ah, papaya!
One of the highlights of my stay at the monastery was undoubtedly mealtime. The dishes prepared within those sacred walls were some of the most delectable vegetarian offerings I’ve ever had the pleasure of savoring. What made the experience even more special was the shared meals and conversations among the nuns. It truly felt as though we were being embraced and welcomed as honored “guests of God” within the monastery.
For detailed information about the project please click here.
18.09.2023
Meeting with Local NGO ELIDA to Organize the Film Festival Promotional Event
Meeting the Sisters of Franciscan Sisters Missionaries of Christ
Girls’ Talent School First Day
19.09.2023
Visiting Local Partner & Planning On Project Activities
Girls’ Talent School Second Day
20.09.2023
Experience Exchange with Teachers
Meeting with Local Artizans
Girls’ Talent School Final Day
21.09.2023
Local Storytelling: Mount Entoto
Project Kick Off & Tango Night
22.09.2023
Creative Workshop
Filmmaking Experiment
23.09.2023
Meeting With a Local Journalist
24.09.2023
Creative Workshops
Screening of the Contestant Films
25.06.2023
Creative Activites With Visually Impaired Locals
Theater Workshop With Local Artists
26.09.2023
Creative Workshops With University Students
Round Table Discussion on Women’s Issues in Addis Ababa
27.09.2023
Creative Workshops With University Students
28.09.2023
National Holiday
29.09.2023
Creative Activities – Hiking at Mount Entoto
30.09.2023
Closure Ceremony
Thank you for your interest in “See the Girl” Film Festival in Ethiopia. For more information about the continuation of “See the Girl” Film Festival in Sweden, please click here.
Preparation
The preparation phase for this project included team meetings, online workshops, zoom meetings, preparing the film upload platform, designing posters, and researching local organizations for different events in Ethiopia.
Tania and Eve organized online workshops with partner organization DANFE. Marta and Tania continued their planning with the team in Sweden. Irem continued with the design part of the project and planning with the local NGO ELIDA, which was tasked with organizing the kickoff event of the film festival in Ethiopia. Catarina was in charge of the online film platform of the Swedish film festival Midnight Soul and oversaw the uploading of the films until the deadline.
ETHIOPIA
17.09.2023
The ProQvi team arrived in Ethiopia and left for our hotel Lobelia at sunrise. When we arrived at the hotel after the long journey, we went over the weekly program as a team. After resting until breakfast, we went over the planning with our local partner organization DANFE, which will organize the Creative Workshops we will organize within the scope of the project. After the planning, we went to a traditional restaurant for dinner as a team. At the restaurant, we met an Ethiopian family and listened to their story of being a woman in Ethiopia from their perspective. This conversation helped us to gain a different perspective for the trainings we will conduct for women later in the week.
18.09.2023
After breakfast, we met and discussed with the NGO ELİDA that will plan the kickoff event of the See the Girl film festival. After leaving the hotel, we went to the convent of the Franciscan Sisters Missionaries of Christ who will host us during our stay in Ethiopia. We talked about the plans and budget of the “Girls’ Talent School” project that we will organize with them. After the meeting, we met with Girls’ talent school students at a local kindergarten. 24 people attended the event in total. On the first day of the event, we organized activities for the participants to get to know each other and to teach storytelling.
19.09.2023
After breakfast, ProQvi team visited the office of the local partner organization DANFE and continued the planning of the Creative Workshops activities. During this visit, we had the experience of learning first-hand the principles and ways of working of NGOs in Ethiopia. After leaving the DANFE office and continued our activities on the second day of the Girls’ Talent School. There were 24 participants in the activities on the second day as on the first day.
20.09.2023
During school hours, the ProQvi team visited the kindergarten where we organized Girls’ Talent School. We exchanged experiences with Ethiopian teachers and played educational and fun games with the children. After the kindergarten closed, we met with local women artisans to explore Ethiopian handicrafts and hear their stories. On the last day of the Girls’ Talent School, we completed our storytelling training and encouraged participants to put what they had learned into practice by dividing them into groups to work on their own projects. On the last day of the Girls’ Talent School, we concluded the event with a traditional celebration.
21.09.2023
To continue listening to the stories of local women, the ProQvi team went to Mount Entoto to meet the women who collect firewood every day. We recorded these moments as we listened to the women’s stories. This experience gave us a deeper understanding of the responsibilities of being a woman in Ethiopia, as we learned about the women’s family dynamics and how they are affected by the country’s economic situation. Local Stories: After our Mount Entoto interview, we set off for the kickoff event of the film festival and tango night organized by ELİDA. After introducing our activities in Ethiopia, we talked about the film competition. After the introduction, we talked about gender balances through tango and movements. After the tango night, participants were given time to meet each other. During this time, our team talked to the female participants and asked questions about different women’s experiences in Ethiopia.
22.09.2023
It was the first day of Creative Workshop trainings organized with our local partner DANFE. After meeting the new participants and telling them about our project, we did activities on how to tell a story like in the previous group. After the end of the Creative Workshop, we experimented with filmmaking with some of the participants from Girls’ talent School and guided the girls to record their first short film.
23.09.2023
As we continued our storytelling training on the second day of the Creative Workshop, each of the experienced girls from Girs’ Talent school shared their experiences and knowledge about what they had learned about storytelling with the new participants. Afterwards, groups were formed among the participants, and each was given the task of designing a storyboard. The groups that designed their storyboards presented their boards to the other groups. This experience increased the sharing between the women and taught the young girls that there is no age limit to become a trainer. At the end of the Creative workshop day, we met with a local journalist and made a presentation about our project. We also talked to her about women’s experiences and gender equality in Ethiopia.
24.09.2023
On the last day of the creative workshop, the participants were divided into groups to practice what they had learned from the storytelling training and were given final projects to collectively collect and tell their individual stories within the group. After the participants completed their final projects, the pre-screening of the See the Girl Film Festival contestant films began and note sheets were distributed to the audience to comment on and rate the films they watched. These note sheets were then collected and evaluated by the ProQvi team.
25.09.2023
ProQvi team met with visually impaired local people and did creative activities with them. During this time, they shared experiences about being a disabled person in Ethiopia and the challenges of being a disabled person. Then a worshop was organized with local theater artists. ProQvi team together with the audience watched and interpreted the skit prepared by the local artists on “A young woman’s experiences after being harassed in Ethiopia”. Then the audience improvised by taking the place of the main character. This experience informed us about how different people and different genders might view this situation. Our team ended the day by introducing the film festival and its activities to the participants.
26.09.2023
ProQvi team met the new Creative Workshop which includes university students and continued their training on storytelling. While listening to the stories of young Ethiopian women, we had the chance to learn about women’s right to education and inequality of opportunity in Ethiopia. The young girls also shared their experiences about the expectations of the family from a young girl and the household chores she should learn. After the creative workshop we participated in a round table discussion organized by our local partner DANFE, which included artists, former politicians, and local NGO staff. The topic of discussion was gender equality in Ethiopia and the suffering of women in Ethiopia.
27.06.2023
On the last day of the creative workshop with university students, we gave training on lighting and shadows. We also introduced the project to the participants and talked about the film competition. The participants started editing their individual films to apply for the film competition.
28.09.2023
National Holiday
29.09.2023
Creative Activities- Hiking at Mount Entoto
30.06.2023
The Closure Ceremony of the film festival was organized. At the closing event, we talked about what we did during the project, exhibited the artworks we created and screened the films that participated in the competition. After the screening, the winning films were announced, and a celebration was held in the traditional restaurant.
31.06.2023
Departure from Ethiopia