Franklin saw the ugly face of victimization at a very young age, an ordeal that opened his eyes to the misery that marginalized people go through on a daily basis. Since then, he has made it his life mission to fight for the voiceless and make this world a better place for everyone. He accomplishes this the best way he knows how; through short films and series.

Franklin Muregwa is a 33-year-old Ugandan filmmaker with the gift of writing inspirational local dramas that focus on promoting the rights of the marginalized and the voiceless. Born to Salongo Lule Maurice and Annette Nabacwa of Lusaalira Masaka District, now Ssembalule District, the secondary school teacher describes himself as an open ear to the silent cries.

Raised by a single mother, Franklin saw his mom toil to put food on the table and make ends meet. In a society that considers women and girls inferior, he saw their high potential and capability in executing set targets easily. This gave him a clear picture of how powerful and patient women are, often masking their agony with a smile.

‘I’m an inspirational writer, who makes movies centered on giving hope to the hopeless, oppressed, and marginalized communities in an effort to advocate for their rights. My first encounter with discrimination was in 1997 when I was 8 years old in P.1 at Mengo Primary School. There was an albino girl who used to be bullied a lot because of her condition. It’s only her younger brother who used to come to her defense against the bullies who would pinch her or poke her with sharp pencils. I decided to step in and give him a helping hand,’ he recalls.

He admits that the girl’s harrowing ordeals awakened a benevolent spirit in him. Her cries and tears drove him to want to make the world a better place to live in, regardless of our differences. Of the utmost importance should be our talents and how we can contribute meaningfully to the betterment of our communities. ‘It’s unfortunate that many people in society are oblivious to the silent cries of the oppressed. For instance, street kids are often stereotyped as being lawless, runaways, and disgraceful to society. Yet, no one has ever given them the chance to tell their story,’ he asserts.

‘We are ignorant to the burdens they carry or their grievances, and by not giving them an opportunity to prove themselves, we will never know their potential. It is the same case for the millions of people with disabilities who in some societies are still presumed to be bad omens. Meanwhile, in Tanzania, thousands of albinos are abducted annually, murdered, and their body parts used in rituals since witchdoctors consider them as spirits of luck and wealth.’

Future Prospects

He plans to establish a skillful training center for vulnerable people, focusing mostly on albinos and street kids. Nurturing their talents will solve the issue of unemployment, and will bridge the gap between what society considers perfect and what really is. Some youth have already resorted to exploiting their talents to save themselves from drowning in poverty with several talents emerging when given the opportunity. We have Eddy Kenzo, the BET award winner and Pastor Wilson Bugembe as testaments to this. Their life stories act as inspiration to many youngsters globally after someone took a leap of faith and gave them a second chance.

‘Given the opportunity, I want to equip these kids to be productive rather than wasteful. I believe love and care are the powerful tools needed to change them. I plan to organize writing and drama contests that will give them the platform to be judged based on their talent, rather than their status as street kids or their skin complexion. I believe everyone deserves a listening ear devoid of judgment or victimization,’ he affirms.

He has managed to accomplish several projects among them the feather in his cap ‘Ndooba’ (The Untold Suffering): It is a hit series that is the darling of many Ugandans, especially the ones in the diaspora which airs on Bukedde2 TV, a leading Ugandan station. It condemns the oppression of orphans by their guardians; ‘The Price’: It denounces the culture of forcing girls into marriages for their bride price, and ‘Jezebel’ (Omuzimu Gw’obwenzi): It’s about infidelity and the fight against the exploitation of women in marriages.

He has also done several other short movies like ‘The Storm of Love’ and ‘Dad’s Affair.’

Challenges

‘The community, including our own government, has failed to fully appreciate not only the film industry but the entire art sector in Uganda. The hiring of film equipment is also very expensive and we lack an established market for our films. Much is invested but less is earned,’ he laments.

‘Bullying is an evil act and is a reflection of how uncouth the perpetrators are. Let’s educate society to understand that albinism is a mere variance in skin tone; the condition doesn’t make any person less fit than the other.’

‘ALBINISM DOES NOT TRANSFORM ME, IT’S JUST A SKIN PIGMENTATION.’