KENYA – Netflix, a streaming service, has entered into a two-year partnership with the Kenyan Government that will see the latter invest in 3 Kenyan films which are at various stages of production.
Under the partnership, Netflix will also allocate US$300,000 (KSh33 million) to support local scholarships for Kenyan creatives as part of its bid to support human capital development and subsequently enhance the country’s digital content ecosystem.
The US$100 000 will fund scholarships for 30 beneficiaries studying at the Kenya Film School and the African Digital Media Institute and another US$200,000 allocated for aspiring creatives to study at other Kenyan institutions that provide film and TV studies.
Under the deal, select Kenyan creatives will be provided scholarships to study for a master’s in International Screenwriting and Production (MISP) at the University Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan, Italy.
“Netflix will identify various opportunities which may include further career development via internships, job shadowing, on-set training, access to creative development labs, technical masterclasses, development executive access, and mentorship programs,” a statement read.
ICT CS Joe Mucheru lauded the partnership as one that will ‘not only facilitate job creation in the country but also unlock training opportunities for screen sector development.’
“We welcome this partnership with Netflix because Kenya has many stories to tell the world and all the initiatives with the various partners will help us ensure we have the ability to create quality stories,” he said.
Shola Sanni, Director of Public Policy for Sub-Saharan Africa at Netflix added that the “MoU will play a major role in harnessing these positive externalities driving impact beyond direct investment in local content only, to measurable inputs in other crucial aspects of the screen production value chain – such as human and institutional capacity development.”
Wi-flix passes 1m subscription
In a little over a year since its launch, Africa’s video on-demand streaming platform Wi-flix has passed the 1million plus paid subscriptions and 300,000 plus customer milestone.
The online streaming platform has grown quickly in recent months with more content and distribution partnerships and more titles being added to its library resulting in major customer attraction.
Wi-flix is accessible across a wide range of devices from smart TVs, smartphones, and tablets at incredible price points.
Wi-flix plans to expand its services to other African markets including South Africa, Lesotho, Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, Zambia and Tanzania soon after its launch in Ghana and Nigeria offering exciting and diversified African entertainment contents to customers.
Based in the Netherlands and founded by two young Africans with a deep understanding of the continent, Wi-flix is poised to become a leading content provider in Africa and the diaspora.
The company prides in offering authentic, originally African and international content to subscribers in Africa and the diaspora. The service offers premium content at an affordable price point as part of a bold agenda to democratize content in Africa.
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