Healing Through Art: Sunu Reew and Silicon Valley African Film Festival Merge Medicine and Arts in The Gambia

The collaboration brings storytelling, film, and art into healthcare, addressing critical health challenges while celebrating African culture.
January 18, 2025
9:28 am
Victoria Lissong Richards-Ohwotu
Victoria Lissong Richards-Ohwotu

In an exclusive interview with The Nollywood Reporter, Victoria Lissong Richards-Ohwotu, a physiotherapist and the founder of Sunu Reew—an organization dedicated to improving healthcare in The Gambia—shared the inspiration behind the collaboration between SVAFF and Sunu Reew for a medical mission in The Gambia.

 

This partnership uniquely combines the healing powers of medicine and art, highlighting how storytelling and film can bridge gaps in healthcare and community development.

 

Sunu Reew and SVAFF?

“Sunu Reew”loosely translates to “Our Country” in Wolof, reflecting a deep sense of national pride and community. Founded by Victoria Lissong Richards-Ohwotu, Sunu Reew is a Gambian organization committed to enhancing healthcare delivery through innovative approaches, their aim is to address critical health challenges and promote well-being across The Gambia.

 

Notably, the Silicon Valley African Film Festival (SVAFF) is an annual event that celebrates African cinema and culture. It serves as a platform for filmmakers, artists, and audiences to engage with African stories, fostering cultural exchange and dialogue. Through film screenings, discussions, and cultural exhibitions, SVAFF highlights the richness of African heritage and addresses pertinent social issues.

 

Njogu Touray
Njogu Touray

 Art and Medicine: A Holistic Approach 

As the fashion coordinator for SVAFF, Victoria Lissong Richards-Ohwotu has been a key player in merging the creative and medical worlds. “While medicine heals the body, art heals the soul,” she explained. The collaboration, which incorporates storytelling, film screenings, and cultural exhibitions into a traditional medical mission, is rooted in the belief that art can demystify healthcare and foster deeper connections between patients and clinicians.

 

“This has never been done before—bringing arts into a medical mission,” she said. “The arts do their thing, and the medical missions do theirs. But I thought, why not bring them together? Let’s complement each other.”

 

Victoria emphasized the role of storytelling in healthcare, likening it to the traditional African practice of gathering under trees to hear elders’ tales. In her view, storytelling is just as vital in medical settings, enabling clinicians to better understand their patients’ experiences.

 

Daniel Laemou Jatta
Daniel Laemou Jatta

The Genesis of the Collaboration

The idea for this collaboration was inspired by the 15th-anniversary celebration of SVAFF, which introduced health and wellness topics through film. These films, tackling issues like grief, dermatological conditions, and schizophrenia, sparked engaging conversations and left a profound impact on audiences. One particularly powerful short film, just three minutes long, generated significant buzz, demonstrating the potential of this medium to address societal issues.

 

“I realized this approach could work with my medical mission,” Victoria said. With the support of SVAFF Director Mr. Chike Nwoffiah, she set out to bring this vision to life in The Gambia, a country grappling with serious healthcare challenges.

 

Films with a Purpose

At the heart of this mission is a curated selection of films from the health and wellness section of SVAFF, addressing conditions such as schizophrenia, diabetes, hypertension, and vitiligo. These films aim to educate and spark conversations among medical professionals, students, and even high schoolers.

 

One standout title is Wise Love by Tomeka Winborne, a short film exploring the challenges of living with schizophrenia. “It’s not just about the condition but about understanding and managing it,” Victoria explained. “These films create a buzz, demystifying topics people often shy away from and making them more relatable.”

 

Wise Love - Film Poster
Wise Love – Film Poster

 

Victoria recounted how a previous screening of a three-minute film on Vitiligo sparked significant dialogue among viewers. “The audience’s reaction was incredible. It showed me that this approach works,” she said. Inspired by this success, she proposed bringing the concept to The Gambia, and SVAFF founder Chike Nwoffiah enthusiastically supported the idea.

 

 Addressing Healthcare Gaps

The urgency of this initiative is reflects on  the severe healthcare challenges in The Gambia, where there are only 1.5 doctors per 10,000 patients. Hypertension, dubbed a “silent killer,” is particularly prevalent. By merging arts and medicine, Sunu Reew hopes to address these gaps, creating awareness and promoting healthier lifestyles.

 

“Through storytelling, we’re breaking down barriers,” Victoria said. “We don’t want patients to freeze up when they see a doctor in a white coat. By incorporating art into healthcare, we’re creating a more human connection.”

 

Mr Njogu Touray
Mr Njogu Touray

 Celebration of Arts and Culture

The mission also includes a vibrant cultural event titled “Celebration of Arts and Culture,” curated by SVAFF. The evening will feature influential figures such as Malian filmmaker Souleymane Cissé, Gambian music scholar Daniel Laemou Jatta—whose work has been sampled by Beyoncé—and internationally acclaimed artist Mr. Njogu Touray will headline the “Celebration of Arts and Culture.” The event will take place at the Senegambia Hotel and will showcase African art, music, and film, reinforcing the mission’s theme of merging creativity with healthcare.

 

“This is going to be a gallery feel,” Victoria shared. “This is about bringing our culture to the forefront while addressing critical health issues.”

 

 Looking Ahead

Victoria is optimistic about the future of this initiative. “This is just the first of many,” she said, hinting at plans for similar events in the coming years. She believes that the collaboration between SVAFF and Sunu Reew will create lasting impact, sparking meaningful dialogue and promoting a holistic approach to healing.

 

As the medical mission kicks off on February 1, 2025, and runs through February 26, 2025, it will include a health fair hosted at Sona Jobarteh’s The Gambia Academy. The arts celebration, scheduled for February 15, promises to be a centerpiece of the initiative. Victoria expressed her anticipation, saying, “I cannot wait to see the impact these movies will have.”

 

Souleymane Cissé
Souleymane Cissé

 Proposed Dates for 2026

Reflecting on the success of this initiative, Victoria Lissong Richards-Ohwotu shared plans for the next event, set to take place from January 15 to February 15, 2026, to accommodate Ramadan, which begins on February 17, 2026.

 

With its innovative approach, Sunu Reew and SVAFF primary aim isn’t to only address healthcare challenges but also to redefine  the role of art in healing and community building. This collaboration  serves as a pathway to showcase  the transformative power of storytelling, offering a model for holistic healthcare that prioritizes empathy and connection.

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