Join us for this screening and panel discussion led by local filmmakers, bringing stories of community action from East Africa!
Eitai - 59:19 min - 2025
Director: Sally Bashford-Squires
A Documentary Film Exploring Community, Togetherness and Change in Rural Uganda. Eitai is a powerfully moving documentary that delves into the challenges faced by a rural community in North-Eastern Uganda. Filmed in Teso and co-produced with celebrated Masai filmmaker Sonyanga Weblan, Eitai—an Ateso word for "community togetherness"—is based on doctoral research conducted by Sally Bashford-Squires, a PhD graduate of Nottingham Trent University.
The documentary explores critical global issues, including the interconnected challenges of climate change, poverty, alcoholism, and gender-based violence (GBV). It highlights how social enterprise projects not only provide economic opportunities but also create safe spaces for knowledge sharing, environmental action through tree planting, and community sensitisation via music, drama, and dance.
Through vivid storytelling, Eitai underscores the importance of indigenous knowledge and communitarianism in addressing pressing global crises. It calls for stronger relationships among people, the land, and non-humans to mitigate further environmental degradation. The film also captures unique narratives on combating HIV and GBV, as told by participants through their lived experiences and cultural expressions.
Water, Life, and Land - 16:49 min - 2025
Director of Photography: Sonyanga Weblan
Water, Land, and Life documents how sand dams, permaculture practices and land restoration are mitigating climate change through sustainable development in Laikipia, Kenya. Told through Indigenous voices, the documentary demonstrates how these incredible structures are not only capturing precious rainwater but also restoring degraded landscapes and supporting thriving communities.
The directors Sally and Sonyanga warmly invite you to join this meaningful discussion on
community-driven solutions to some of the most urgent issues of our
time, and
will join us for the discussion after the films.
This screening is not only a celebration of the resilience and
resourcefulness of communities but also a platform for international
knowledge exchange. It seeks to amplify majority-world perspectives on
addressing global challenges and foster dialogue across cultures.
Sally Bashford-Squires,
formally an Assistant Head Teacher of a Nottinghamshire Infant School, now lectures in Public Health at The University of Greenwich. She recently completed her PhD in critical public health from Nottingham Trent University. Her doctorate explored how social enterprise projects impact on women's health in Teso, Uganda. Sally is also Chair and founder of a Nottingham Registered Charity called 'The Mustard Seed Project - Uganda' which supports the social enterprise projects featured in the documentary.
Sonyanga Weblan holds a Master's Degree in Media and Globalisation from Nottingham Trent University. He is part of the Maasai community from Kenya and star of the award- winning film 'Warriors' which follows the story of how Sonyanga and his peers used cricket as a leverage for ending female genital mutilation in his community. Sonyanga has continued to work to end FGM through sport and community sensitisation projects and his work has been celebrated by the United Nations. Sonyanga currently works as a freelance film maker in Kenya, capturing issues that impact on his communities.
CDs featuring the soundtrack (and bonus tracks) from Eitai will be available to buy for £5.00 in the foyer on the day.
More information on Sally's charity:
www.mustardseedprojectuganda.com
