Barefoot Leaves its Mark. Doggie & Bingo Shoot for the Stars

Written by: Hilary Cline

Since 2004, Barefoot has trained over three - hundred individuals representing thirty different countries. This diversity has enriched the learning experience among participants and represents the many individuals who cross boundaries to learn about the power of documentary storytelling.

In 2006, Barefoot’s founder Chandler Griffin traveled to Kakuma Refugee Camp to train the FilmAid International’s Participatory Video Program (PVP). Barefoot called the two-week training format, Behavior Change Drama videos. An important aspect of Barefoots’ work is done in Africa where individuals, communities and organizations are given the skills to tell their owns stories of hardship and triumph. Barefoot works with marginalized communities, particularly victims of natural disaster, refugees, displaced persons, young people in post-conflict areas, and those working on the front lines of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, to find inspiration and solutions.

It was at Kakuma Refugee Camp that Chandler met Doggie (Danies Denis) and Bingo (Simon Lokwang) who had been two of the 20,000 boys of the Nuer and Dinka ethnic groups who were displaced during the Second Sudanese Civil War. The two participated in the video training program with ten other refugees who wrote, directed, acted in and edited the videos. Participants were encouraged to draw upon their personal experiences and issues relevant to their local community when crafting their stories.

Due to Doggie and Bingo’s exceptional promise, Barefoot raised the funds to send the talented men to East African School of Media Studies, a Nairobi college specializing in TV and video production. The opportunity to attend college and leave the refugee camp was a life altering one.

How You Can Help

Five years later, these ambitious men plan to start a film production company in their original home of Sudan where they can help others to share their stories. In order for Doggie and Bingo to make their dream a reality, they both require advanced training. There is no better place for this training than with the Barefoot Workshops. Barefoot has raised $4,991 which will be used to fund all expenses for Bingo to attend three consecutive February workshops including a one week photography workshop, two week documentary workshop and a one week editing workshop. With your financial help, we plan to bring Doggie in September to participate in the same three workshops. Please continue to help Barefoot raise the additional $4,578.

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Watch a video featuring Doggie and Bingo

Don’t Touch Me is a fiction film that Michel Birashi (2009 Delta Alum) wrote/directed in the Kakuma workshop. Doggie and Bingo starred in this fiction film. Bingo is the lead and Doggie is the one who says, "Don’t Touch Me." As you will see, both are extremely talented.