Beni Youth - A village defends itself against climate change

OmU 20 min. Germany/Malawi 2024

Young people in Malawi are confronted with the consequences of the climate catastrophe. Extreme weather, shortened rainy seasons and hot spells make life difficult for people whose lives are characterised by agriculture. The film takes us to an East African village away from the big cities. The stories of the three protagonists come together to form an overall picture. Beekeeping, growing peanuts, small loans, two-wheeler mechanics - the young people in Beni (Beni Youth) are building a future for themselves. With the help of the Lutheran Church in Malawi, they have developed and implemented their own projects. The film also indirectly tells of the bigger picture, of flight and migration in the context of the global climate crisis. "Of those who left, did anyone ever return?" we hear one of the protagonists ask rhetorically.
Two Berlin filmmakers visited the project and documented it from an observer's perspective. The film dispenses with commentary and explanations from the outside. Framed by Malawian choral singing, the film creates a mosaic of impressive scenes and images of strong young women and men in a remote place.

Background to the project

The Lutheran Church in Malawi supports children, young people and adults in the areas of health, education and sustainability with numerous diaconal projects. These projects benefit not only the members of the church, but all residents in the respective villages and towns. They are developed, planned and implemented in a participatory and collaborative manner. With the support of project managers from the church headquarters in Lilongwe, various activities are also implemented in Beni in this way. These include training programmes, credit and savings groups, agricultural diversification, irrigation systems, beekeeping and tree nurseries.