Mugishagwe and her co-workers in Abantu Visions produced three pilot episodes of «Unsung Heroines» in 2008, with the Embassy as one of the main donors. The first episodes focus on the Mozambiquean athlete Maria de Lourdes Mutola, President of Liberia Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 professor Wangari Mathai from Kenya. The three heroines were presented by ‘The Queen of African Pop’, Angelique Kidjo.
Women not in Focus
- Film is a powerful tool, which has the potential of reaching out to a broad audience. The reason for us making the series is to provide role models for young people. African women receive little attention in the media, even though they achieve great things, says Beatrix Mugishagwe.
She also believes that it is important for the older generation to become aware of what these women have achieved. The series has been broadcasted in Tanzania, Mozambique and Kenya, and it has also been screened in several Tanzanian schools. Mugishagwe is hoping that the series will be screened in schools and TV-stations throughout Africa, and the series is now being translated to Arabic, French and Portuguese in order to reach as many Africans as possible.
- Gender Inequality a cause of Poverty
The discrimination of women is hampering the development of Tanzania and Africa, according to Beatrix Mugishagwe.
- Women’s weak position in African societies is a major driver of poverty. There is a need for proper education on gender issues in order to encourage women to speak up and take the lead.
In 2009 Abantu Visions is planning on producing three new episodes of the series, on UN Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro from Tanzania, Angelique Kidjo from Benin and Professor Habiba B. Chaabouni from Tunisia.
Mugishagwe is hoping to make Unsung Heroines an ongoing series.
- My next big project is to produce a number of episodes on ordinary women in Tanzania. Women in rural areas work extremely hard often without any kind of appreciation, she says.