Sam Asumadu

Director/Producer

<p><span><strong>Samantha Asumadu</strong> is a British film director and producer. <span>She has worked mainly in the Great Lakes Region of Africa doing news features and documentary. </span>In 2009 she directed The Super Ladies, a documentary film for AlJazeera English about female rally drivers in Uganda. It was first broadcast in September 2009 and then in March 2010 and 2011 as part of their International Women&rsquo;s day programming. She has worked on many projects in East Africa including BBC Panorama: Addicted to Aid, Congo: Combating Illegal Mining of Coltan for Deutsche Welle, Acid Attacks in Uganda for Agency France Presse and has done breaking news interviews and filming for CNN, Sky News and France 24. <span>She also campaigns on democracy and safety issues.</span><br /></span></p> <p><span>&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span><strong>Films:</strong><br /></span></p> <p><strong>Watch: <a href="http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/witness/2009/09/200991663846321765.html">The Super Ladies</a></strong></p> <p><strong>Watch: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5GJ8QmSYaI">The Super Ladies the pilot</a></strong></p> <p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m1q2ltKgcN1r9i9cp.jpg" alt="" width="418" height="323" /><br /><span><br /></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">Rose, Leila and Susan are three seemingly ordinary Ugandan women concerned with homes, families and jobs, but they also&nbsp;share&nbsp;the&nbsp;dream of becoming champion rally drivers.</p> <p style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">In Uganda, women traditionally defer to the men in their families and face discrimination in many areas of life.</p> <p style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">So the three&nbsp;women face the double challenge of achieving sporting success while fighting prejudice and sexism in the male world of motor rallying.</p> <p style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">The film documents the journey the women take as they struggle to put together their challenges for the Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally 2009, the most coveted motor sports title in East Africa.</p> <p style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">They have to overcome the substantial hurdles of raising sponsorship and preparing a race-worthy and competitive car.</p> <p style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm;">It is a daunting challenge &ndash; and a race with a dramatic outcome. <em><span style="font-family: Times;">Super Ladies</span></em> offers a fascinating insight into the heart of modern Uganda.</p> <p><span>&nbsp;</span></p> <p><strong>Watch: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BH0xs5zxjBA&amp;list=PL77C30A741EF6F4F9&amp;index=7&amp;feature=plcp">Congo: Combating Illegal Mining of Coltan</a></strong></p> <p>Congolese army are active in taxing mines. Extortion is often carried out in systematic, relatively sophisticated ways. FDLR commanders, for example, detach soldiers to raise money through what they call logistique non-conventionelle, which can range from trade in palm wine to taxing gold mines.&nbsp; These soldiers then kick money back to their commanders, who then have to pass a percentage up through the chain of command. The FDLR high command is thought to directly control important gold and tin concessions.</p> <p>Armed groups profit from the minerals trade in two primary ways:&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Controlling the mines</strong>, forcing miners to work in desperate and dangerous conditions while paying them a pittance &mdash; an average of $1 to $5 per day.<a href="http://www.enoughproject.org/publications/comprehensive-approach-conflict-minerals-strategy-paper#4">4</a>&nbsp; The extent of the presence of armed groups at the mining sites and the degree of coercion they utilize varies by site and by armed group.</p> <p><strong>Exacting bribes and taxes from transporters</strong>, local and international buyers, and at border controls. This begins with roadblocks just outside the mining sites, but also includes co-opting those state institutions that are present in eastern Congo as well as local traditional authorities.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Watch: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fc9Rb8hA5W8&amp;list=PL77C30A741EF6F4F9&amp;index=6&amp;feature=plcp">Acid Attacks in Uganda</a> (Charity seeks to rehabilitate Uganda acid victims)</strong></p> <p><span>Battery acid is cheap and easy to obtain in Uganda, and has become the weapon of choice for jealous partners and feuding neighbours, say charities who work with survivors. Attacks are on the rise, with 40 cases reported in 2007. Most victims are women, who are often shunned in society following attacks &mdash; jeopardising both their recovery, and their economic survival</span></p> <p><span>&nbsp;</span></p> <p><strong>Watch: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mYxsCJCBls">A taster of &lsquo;The Middle Way&rsquo;</a></strong></p> <p><span><span><span>UGANDA&rsquo;s NATIONAL CONTEMPORARY BALLET presents &ldquo;The Middle Way&rdquo; A FUSION OF KUNG FU, QI GONG, CONTEMPORARY DANCE AND PERCUSSION AGAINST VIOLENCE<br />with <br />Master DOMINIQUE SAATENANG, (SHAOLIN MASTER) <br />THE FIRST AFRICAN SHAOLIN MASTER of the Shaolin Temple of the 34th generation, awarded for being Vice Champion of the Wushu World, Wushu Judge and International Referee, Expert in Wushu and graduated from Beijing Sports University</span></span><br /></span></p>

About Me

• 2 Campaigns From the launch to the finish line, these were the campaigns you ran to make something happen for your entrepreneurial, cause-related, or creative passions.
• 0 Comments Engagement is the name of the game when it comes to crowdfunding. Sharing your thoughts on campaigns can help campaigners and strengthen the Indiegogo community.
• 0 Contributions Whether you contributed a little or a lot, this number signifies the times you helped support someone else’s idea, project, or goal.