The Animation industry is booming in Africa. Things are happening like one could not have expected 10 years ago. Yet, in many African countries, female visibility is lacking.

Therefore, in alignment with our aim of fostering skills, and aiding sustainable gender equality-based development in the African animation industry, Jolly Squid is giving special “space” to women and girls between the ages of 18 – 25 from Sub-Saharan Africa.

Through fully mentored and interactive hands-on challenges, we empower the participants with the needed knowledge and confidence to hone their skills, harness their talent, and most of all, develop the right mindset needed for global competitiveness and entrepreneurship

The Ani-Jolly Girls’ Special Mentorship is neither an internship nor a generic regular training.
The goal is that the participants discover where exactly their creative strengths lie, identify and focus on their core strengths as well as to develop an entrepreneurial mindset that will help them reach their desired goals, be this in employment or to achieve self-sustainability.
Furthermore, the participants will learn all the core values necessary for advancement on professional, personal, and emotional levels.
The program will cover the EXPANSE of 
– Storytelling
– Content production
– Professional ethics building
– Entrepreneurial skills building

The long-term goal of the program is to foster international partnerships with bodies and institutions in other countries** towards the execution of this training model in form of co-operations and skills exchange between the African participants and other women globally.

The advantage of this model is that the beneficiaries of the program will be exposed to international freelancing opportunities. Furthermore, through already secured partnerships with Film Festivals where everything produced in the framework of the program will be shown in special screenings and spotlights, visibility is given to the works of the participants in places where some, (due to some of the aforementioned challenges), would never have made a viewing list.
We also are open to partnering with other Animation studios locally who, through their involvement in mentoring and training, can establish collaborative rapport with each other and in the long run can even go into co-productions.

**Currently, in negotiation with similar-minded studios and organizations in our network from Colombia, Germany, Spain, and Croatia.

Must have a passion for Animation and Audio visual story-telling
and all visual facets of professional animation production as well as be interested in taking your career to an entrepreneurial level.

Must not be younger than 18 and not older than 24 by March 2023 (Proof of age will be demanded)

Must be a National and Resident of a  Sub-Sahara African country

Must have a functioning internet

A team player who thrives in a collaborative environment

Must be willing to grow and learn within a serious productive environment

Must possess excellent communication skills

Must be willing to learn and improve on organizational and self-management skills

Must have enthusiasm for new ideas outside of the regional market norm

Must demonstrate the  ability to respect and not abuse  a non-hierarchical leadership – structure

Must possess a willingness to learn new methods of solving problems

Must possess the ability to self-troubleshoot

Must be available for video briefings at all times within the training hours

Must be Respectful, Cheerful, Trustworthy, Reliable, and Openminded

Must possess GENUINE curiosity for knowledge of animation life in general

Hone your skills | Grow your knowledge
Get to understand the animation business topography
Challenge yourself to new ideas
Challenge yourself to learn and improve, professionally and otherwise
Develop a conglomerate mindset that will elevate you from the nitty gritty
Discover where exactly your creative strength lies.
Develop the resilience and tenacity that will help you break out of the crunch
Pursue and reach your determined goals in the industry, but most of all, 
Change the male-dominated industry Landscape

The HYBRID training combines a remote (internet) model with a live three months of (on location) training which will happend in selected cities in different countries according to our partners’ schedules.
On-location availability in Abuja, or Lagos Nigeria for at least one month during the training will be of advantage BUT NOT MANDATORY

The application period is closed. 

In a few words: Ebele Okoye (omenkaulonka), is Africa’s first female animator and a leading pioneer of the Animation industry in Africa. Also the founder of “Motion to the Sound” as well as Nigeria’s first ever Animation course “Shrinkfish Media Lab -smedLAB, Ebele has played a catalyst part in jump-starting a lot of successful young people Africans in the industry, helping them find their strength.
Some of these are in the employment of some renowned brands and big players.
Additionally, some of the animation studios in Nigeria were set up because of her direct influence, suggestion, and encouragement.
Read her story HERE (how she started, her struggles, and her journey to where she is today)