On location Painting by Simon Bird
To promote the use of art for raising awareness about the developing world

Animated Documentary Film 2009

Karamoja Faces

A film about the exploitation of children and babies as objects for begging

Filming took place between November 2008 to February 2009 in Uganda.
By Simon Lokai & Simon Bird.

Film Presentation

The film has two simultaneous stories.
One is Animated the other is Real Life.

The Animated Story gives an introduction to the problems of Karamojaland.
The story then follows the experiences of a child being taken to the city to beg. Eventually the child is returned to his mother in Karamojaland.

The Real Life Story also starts in the city.
We are introduced to a young Karamojong woman called, "Lucia", who has just arrived in Kampala. She has come with two of her own children and two children borrowed from an aunt. We learn about life in the ghetto and how all the women have to pull together in order to survive.

The second half of the film is based in Karamojaland.
We walk to a set of villages called Lokopo where many of the women and children in the ghetto originate from. A village discussion is organised to address the problems of trafficking small children for begging.

Film Presentation

Animation

The story boards and paintings used in the animation were created by women and children in Kisenyi Ghetto, Kampala.

We want the film to raise the question :

Is this method of begging simply a last resort for a desperate people,
or,
is it on the increase because networks are forming and the word is spreading that this kind of begging actually works ?

For more background information about the Karamoja issue -

Article: Removing Karamojong for CHOGM 19/10/2007.

TravelArtist / About

Simon Bird
Katerina Karaskova
Matriarchal Project

Simon Bird
Home / About

Uganda
Karamojaland Uganda 2007/8
Film: 'Karamoja Faces' 2008/9
Article: Karamoja CHOGM 2007
Czech Rep. & Slovakia
SlovakGypsies 2006/8
Article: Gyspies revisited 2008
Czech Panelák flats 2006/8
Central America
Panama & Suez Canal 2005
Mosquito Coast 2003
Egypt
Monster or Mummy 2004
Asia
Yunnan & Szechwan 2000
Cambodia mines & monks 2001
Vietnam central & North 2000
Laos & Thailand 2000
Southern Africa
The coast of Mozambique 1998
The highlands of Lesotho 1998
South America
Altiplano in Peru & Bolivia 1996
India
India & Ladahk 1994/7

Matriarchal Project
by Simon & Kateřina
Home / About

North East India.
Khasi culture 2008
Notes: Khasi Hills
Garo culture 2008
Notes: Garo Hills
Sumatra, Indonesia.
Minangkobau culture 2008
Notes: Minang area
South West Mexico.
Zapotec culture 2005
Notes: Tehuantepec
Southern Panama.
Kuna culture 2005
Notes: Sanblas Islands

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