Two visions unite in South Africa

Weaving in and out of driving lanes, whizzing past stray cows, and trucks full of barrels, Noel checks his driver’s mirror and switches to the left, passing a car that’s driving obnoxiously slow. It’s eleven in the morning, and he is driving us to Durban’s airport. As the co-founder and executive director of NEWF (Nature, Environment, and Wildlife Filmmakers), his time could be well spent doing anything but driving us four hours to the airport, yet he insists there is nothing more valuable than time spent in fellowship and connection. These long drives to and from eKhaya, NEWF’s storytelling and diving facility in South Africa’s Sodwana Bay, to the nearest airport is the perfect setting for honest conversation and ideas to flow.

I am part of a group of five representatives from Diving With A Purpose (DWP) who have just spent the week at eKhaya. We are midway through our drive back to Durban and DWP Dive Instructor Anumi Sassaroli is interviewing Noel for DWP’s blog.

The van is packed with DWP and NEWF fellows, but it’s quiet. Some are in deep thought reflecting on one of the most memorable weeks of our lives. Some are nodding in and out of sleep, tired from last night’s farewell celebrations. Others are asleep, bellies full from Dumi’s delicious prawn and fish stew. We are all delirious with gratitude having experienced the power of Africa Refocused, an initiative in collaboration between NEWF and National Geographic.

Anumi is all ears, leaning forward with one arm propped up on her knee, steadily aiming her iPhone’s microphone towards Noel’s voice. She is asking him about how he and his wife Pragna came to be the co-founders of NEWF. In the interview Noel explains:

“The world utilizes so much of Africa’s nature and wildlife, yet there was no platform in Africa for conservationists, scientists, filmmakers, storytellers, and broadcasters to come together and discuss solutions. We (Noel and his wife and co-founder Pragna) decided we couldn’t just walk away defeated (after they went bankrupt from producing their own African wildlife TV show ‘Code Green’); we needed to address this issue. By January of 2017, we conceived the idea of hosting a film festival. However, we questioned which films to showcase. Thus, we decided to create a congress where people could gather to discuss and find ways to overcome the challenges we faced in producing our first TV series. In March, we pitched this idea to the head of parks and recreation in Durban, who loved it and offered us ZAR 500,000. Though we never received the funds, his belief in our idea was crucial and motivated us to move forward. And so, the annual NEWF Congress began in 2017.” -To read the full interview, click here.

How did they keep going even after the money promised to them for the congress never came through? In retrospect, I believe it boils down to the strength of their partnership. So much of the process of being a visionary lies in the ability to keep your faith up when the dream seems impossible. Having a partner that is with you in the work makes all the difference in getting through the rough patches.

Noel is the kind of man whose laugh fills a room and whose larger-than-life dreams precede him. As a master storyteller, his stories will have you hanging on to his every word, always singing high praises of the people he admires. By his side is Pragna, a warm eyed woman with an infectious smile. She is the small but mighty anchor that grounds NEWF’s vision with strategy. At any moment you can find her editing, texting collaborators, booking and rebooking flights, putting out fires, passing out french fries, and saving lives.Together, Noel the dreamer, and Pragna the dream maker have made NEWF’s vision a reality. After bankruptcy and what could have been the end of their journey, they dared to look beyond beyond their own limitations to build the opportunities and access they wish they had when they began telling wildlife stories.

Seeing their commitment up close has shown me how important it is to build an expansive vision that extends far beyond you, one that makes room for others to dream and reach new levels of success. Theirs is a true story of build it and they wil