30 Jun 2026

A young Motswana storyteller and creative producer, Zanele Moyo, is set to attend the 21^st International Youth Media Summit (IYMS) which will be held in Paris, France from July 17-30.

The summit will gather 50 delegates of young filmmakers, journalists, activists and storytellers from more than 20 countries at the Fondation des États-Unis to produce short films addressing seven global issues under the theme: Peace in Focus: Voices Reaching Across Borders.

The delegates will address issues such as violence, discrimination, poverty, women’s rights, health and youth empowerment using media. 

Speaking to BOPA, Moyo described the summit as a life changing opportunity.

“This is a chance to represent Botswana on a global stage, connect with changemakers from around the world and return home with skills, collaborations and experiences that will strengthen the social impact work I continue to do through storytelling,” said Moyo.

The Mochudi-born creative shared that her work spans film, theatre, photography and digital media. 

Through these mediums, she tells impactful stories that challenge injustice, celebrate African identity and amplify marginalised voices.

“I have always been fascinated by the ability of stories to move people. A single story can challenge prejudice, spark empathy and start conversations that statistics alone cannot. Hence as I grew as an artist, I realised that creativity could be used not only to entertain but also to address issues affecting our communities.”

Moyo’s impactful body of work has focused on advocacy for gender equality, youth empowerment, indigenous storytelling and social justice - featuring among her various collaborations, organisations such as Autism Botswana, Abilities Botswana and Botswana Trans Initiative Trust.

“This is because I believe stories can heal, educate and inspire change,” she explained.

Although her portfolio includes work with Botswana Musicians Union (BOMU) Awards where she worked for 3 years as an assistant content producer and director as well as with the Department of Broadcasting Services (DBS) Roadshow and Festival Series for Btv among her many projects, her journey began from humble beginnings.

From pursuing her dreams with limited resources while traversing periods of uncertainty as she survived from project to project, only her unwavering passion for storytelling kept her resilient.

“There were moments when giving up felt easier, but storytelling became the thing that kept me going,” Moyo said.

“So being selected for IYMS feels like a door opening not only for me, but for many young creatives in Botswana who rarely get access to international opportunities like this.”

However, Moyo explained that the financial cost of attending the summit was

beyond what she could afford alone. She shared that she was currently fundraising to help cover her travel from Botswana to France, including visa and accommodation costs as well as daily expenses. 

Therefore, to make the journey possible, the young creative is seeking sponsorship and donations from individuals and organisations willing to support her participation in the international event through her GoFundMe page.

“Every donation, no matter how small, brings me one step closer to carrying Botswana’ stories into global conversations where African voices are often underrepresented. ENDS