This archive report was first published on 30 October 2019.
On October 30, 2019, the high level of youth unemployment in Kenya was a pressing concern for many families. The government, private sector, and development partners were seeking new ways to address this challenge.
One emerging field that offers opportunities is the entertainment industry of animation. While many people associate animation with cartoons, it is a method of creating moving images through manipulated pictures.
The global market for animated movies is vast and intercultural, with technology playing a significant role in the industry. Computer-generated imagery (CGI) has become a standard in animation production, and video streaming technology has made it easier for people to access animated content worldwide.
In Kenya, the entertainment and media industry had a turnover of $2.2 billion (Sh226 billion) in 2015, with an average growth rate of 8.3 per cent driven by the Internet and TV. The creation of original content will experience significant growth, creating job opportunities for highly skilled professionals.
The Africa Digital Media Institute (ADMI) has partnered with the top-ranked French animation school Rubika to establish two world-class programs in Nairobi. The programs will be supported by a €800,000 (Sh91 million) grant from the French Development Agency (AFD) in France.
France is the third-largest producer of animated movies in the world, with 5,000 persons working in the animation sector. The country is also a significant player in the video game industry, with approximately 1,000 companies working in this sector, including internationally recognized companies like Ubisoft.
Rubika is ranked as the number one school of animation and video games in France, with its students and alumni receiving many awards for short animation movies and video games. The joint ADMI-Rubika animation training program will start in January 2020 in Nairobi, with the selection of students by the end of 2019.
The program will include classes taught by Rubika faculty at ADMI, as well as student, faculty, and staff exchanges between France and Kenya. Another ongoing project funded by AFD and the European Union will support an incubator by Kenyan-based Heva Fund for animators in East Africa working alongside ADMI students.
The project will support promising animators along every step of the production supply chain: training, apprenticeship, incubation, investment, and distribution. Africa is on the cusp of an animation revolution, with demand growing for African stories told in a unique style.
Dr. Macharia is the director of ADMI, Mr. De Valon is the director of AFD Kenya, and Mr. Andre is the CEO of Rubika.
