AKAMBA CULTURAL CENTER AND MUSEUM LAUNCHES YOUTH DIGITIZATION TRAINING
May 13, 2026
AKAMBA CULTURAL CENTER AND MUSEUM Launches Youth Digital Storytelling Workshop Under British Council Cultural Protection Fund Project
British Council Cultural Protection Fund supported digitization efforts at AKAMBA CULTURAL CENTER AND MUSEUM received a major boost today following the commencement of a one-week youth training workshop on Research and Digital Storytelling skills.
The workshop, which brings together young people from the region, is part of the museum’s wider digitization and cultural preservation project funded through the British Council Cultural Protection Fund. The initiative seeks to safeguard, document and digitally preserve Akamba cultural heritage for future generations while empowering youth with modern research and storytelling skills.
The training is being facilitated by Dr. Kristian Stewart from Michigan State University and Dr. Eunice Ivala from North-West University, highlighting the growing collaboration between AKAMBA CULTURAL CENTER AND MUSEUM and both local and international academic institutions.
Speaking during the opening session, organizers noted that digital storytelling has become an essential tool in preserving endangered cultural knowledge in the modern era. Through the training, youth are gaining practical skills in research methods, oral history documentation, photography, videography, interviewing techniques, archiving and digital content creation.
The program is expected to equip participants with the ability to document community narratives, indigenous knowledge, cultural practices, songs, rituals and oral traditions using digital technologies. This ensures that valuable cultural heritage is not lost but instead preserved in formats accessible to future generations, researchers and global audiences.
The workshop also reflects the importance of involving young people in cultural preservation efforts. By training youth in digital storytelling, the project is creating a new generation of cultural custodians capable of bridging tradition and technology. Participants are expected to use their newly acquired skills to tell authentic African stories from their communities while creating employment and innovation opportunities within the creative and heritage sectors.
The collaboration between AKAMBA CULTURAL CENTER AND MUSEUM and universities from Kenya, South Africa and the United States further demonstrates the growing role of academia in cultural preservation and community-based research. Such partnerships provide technical expertise, research support, international exposure and knowledge exchange that strengthen local heritage institutions.
The museum’s digitization project, funded by the British Council Cultural Protection Fund, aims to create sustainable digital archives and promote wider access to Akamba cultural heritage through technology-driven preservation initiatives. The project is also aligned with broader global efforts to protect intangible cultural heritage and empower communities through education, research and innovation.
As the workshop continues throughout the week, organizers expressed optimism that the initiative will inspire more youth to actively participate in safeguarding African cultural heritage while embracing the opportunities presented by digital transformation.
British Council Cultural Protection Fund supported digitization efforts at AKAMBA CULTURAL CENTER AND MUSEUM received a major boost today following the commencement of a one-week youth training workshop on Research and Digital Storytelling skills.
The workshop, which brings together young people from the region, is part of the museum’s wider digitization and cultural preservation project funded through the British Council Cultural Protection Fund. The initiative seeks to safeguard, document and digitally preserve Akamba cultural heritage for future generations while empowering youth with modern research and storytelling skills.
The training is being facilitated by Dr. Kristian Stewart from Michigan State University and Dr. Eunice Ivala from North-West University, highlighting the growing collaboration between AKAMBA CULTURAL CENTER AND MUSEUM and both local and international academic institutions.
Speaking during the opening session, organizers noted that digital storytelling has become an essential tool in preserving endangered cultural knowledge in the modern era. Through the training, youth are gaining practical skills in research methods, oral history documentation, photography, videography, interviewing techniques, archiving and digital content creation.
The program is expected to equip participants with the ability to document community narratives, indigenous knowledge, cultural practices, songs, rituals and oral traditions using digital technologies. This ensures that valuable cultural heritage is not lost but instead preserved in formats accessible to future generations, researchers and global audiences.
The workshop also reflects the importance of involving young people in cultural preservation efforts. By training youth in digital storytelling, the project is creating a new generation of cultural custodians capable of bridging tradition and technology. Participants are expected to use their newly acquired skills to tell authentic African stories from their communities while creating employment and innovation opportunities within the creative and heritage sectors.
The collaboration between AKAMBA CULTURAL CENTER AND MUSEUM and universities from Kenya, South Africa and the United States further demonstrates the growing role of academia in cultural preservation and community-based research. Such partnerships provide technical expertise, research support, international exposure and knowledge exchange that strengthen local heritage institutions.
The museum’s digitization project, funded by the British Council Cultural Protection Fund, aims to create sustainable digital archives and promote wider access to Akamba cultural heritage through technology-driven preservation initiatives. The project is also aligned with broader global efforts to protect intangible cultural heritage and empower communities through education, research and innovation.
As the workshop continues throughout the week, organizers expressed optimism that the initiative will inspire more youth to actively participate in safeguarding African cultural heritage while embracing the opportunities presented by digital transformation.