CSUEB Alumnus Helps Build Resilience Against Violent Extremism in Africa Through Film
Daouda Zalle presented at the Global Youth Summit Against Violent Extremism in New York City last month.
- October 22, 2015
Cal State East Bay alumnus Daouda Zalle (BA ’12, Communications) is determined to make a difference in his native Burkina Faso through his passion for filmmaking.
A Fulbright student who majored in communications at CSUEB, Zalle has spent the last year volunteering in a small village in his West African homeland, teaching its residents the basics of filmmaking. The community is near the borders of Niger and Mali, where issues of terrorism and violent extremism — the process of using violence to further radical views — threaten locals.
Zalle's plan to use film to help people in need got a boost last month when he was invited to attend and present at the Global Youth Summit Against Violent Extremism held in New York City. The event was co-hosted by the State Department and the Counter Extremism Project and Search for Common Ground organizations. In front of more than 100 youth activists from dozens of countries, Zalle presented his proposal, which entails training young people in West Africa to make short films on violent extremism and related themes and then show them in their communities.
“It was an unforgettable experience,” Zalle said. “You meet other young people and realize they are all working hard so we can achieve the same goal, which is to have a world without violent extremism and with tolerance, regardless of your religious or cultural background. It was good to meet decision-makers from the U.S. government, who work hard on a daily basis to advocate for funding to support young people across the world.”
Zalle’s proposal involves working with young people who have a poor educational background and no prior experience in filming. They’ll serve as actors in their videos, and when the projects are finished, they will travel between various villages to screen them. Afterward, discussions will take place about the videos, helping spread awareness about violent extremism throughout different communities.
The U.S. Embassy in Burkina Faso selected Zalle to attend the summit after he successfully used his filmmaking and production skills to train others while doing volunteer work in a small village. His proposal was among five projects selected for funding.
While he works his volunteer job, Zalle also plans to complete his first feature film. The script is nearly ready, and he hopes to start shooting once he secures funding. The story focuses on a boy who is inspired to become a doctor after his father dies of Ebola. Though he can’t afford to stay in school, he ends up becoming an expert in natural medicine and going on to a successful career.
“It is a film about having a dream and staying optimistic,” Zalle said. “You may fail to reach your first goal, but always remember there can be another way to get there or to a similar goal.”
His passion for filmmaking all circles back to his time at Cal State East Bay, where he credits department chair Gale Young and professor Kevin Pina, among others, for helping him complete the program.
“I owe my filmmaking experience to the Department of Communications since everything started there,” Zalle said.