MBABANE – The Purple Butterfly Nest organisation has officially launched its Youth Animation Empowerment Programme.
This is an initiative designed to assist young creatives in Eswatini in turning artistic skills into viable local and international careers.
The initiative was established by Mfanelo Masuku following his participation in global industry platforms, including the Annecy International Animation Film Festival and the International Animation Film Market (MIFA) in France.
Having gained insight into global industry operations and built professional networks, Masuku sought to establish a framework to share this expertise with local youth.
He leads the project alongside a team of young creatives, including Temalangeni Masuku and Banel’siwe Hlatshwayo, who contributes expertise in animation scriptwriting and storytelling.
The team intends to develop the programme beyond a single workshop into a long-term development framework for emerging talent.
In an interview with Masuku, he mentioned that the exact date of the event will be confirmed after they have secure the exact venue. “What I can assure is that it will be within Manzini, between September 19 to 26, 2026. We have a total of 131 young people participating from different regions of Eswatini,” he said.
As part of the initiative, the organisation has engaged animation professionals from across Africa, including Nahom Abiy from Ethiopia, Tshepo Moche and Wako Dube from South Africa, Kofi Badu Eshun (KOBESH) from Ghana, Esosa Dare-Herald from Nigeria and Jemimah Atim from Uganda.
Initial discussions began during the Annecy Festival in France and have continued through virtual engagements.
These international professionals will participate virtually to share technical knowledge, career insights and guidance on navigating global production structures and monetising creative work.
According to Masuku, the programme aims to identify individuals with foundational skills in drawing, narrative design and animation, ‘guiding them through a practical career trajectory from skill building and portfolio development to practical experience and employment’, he said.
To ensure long-term sustainability, Purple Butterfly Nest is developing an incubation pathway.
This structure aims to provide participants with ongoing mentorship, practical project experience, portfolio development, access to production equipment and guidance on intellectual property creation.
By connecting participants with remote work, international client freelancing and global co-productions, the programme seeks to bridge the gap between local talent and wider industry opportunities, contributing to youth employment within the creative economy.
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