About the project

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics will be remembered in history as the first Olympics without spectators due to the COVID pandemic. With Japan being the host country and with this in mind, we were tasked by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to produce send off videos for Ugandan athletes.

Strategy

What could possibly be the best way to celebrate and send off athletes participating in one of the most prestigious sports event in the world? Through our creative brainstorm sessions with JICA we decided on creating inspirational stories based on motivation and drive. Our ultimate goal was to have the viewer deeply relate with the athlete beyond seeing them on the field. As the videos were going to be used by the Japanese Embassy they also wanted videos that would demonstrate the beauty of Uganda and the possibility of athletes training in Uganda. 

To achieve this, we traveled to one of the most spectacular places in Uganda which also happens to be the home of the prominent athletes - Kapchorwa. During our 3 day stay, we interacted with the athletes on a more personal level, visited their homes, watched them train and had candid conversations with them. This approach allowed us to understand their ambitions, fears, achievements and drive. With this, we created videos featuring;

Joshua Cheptegei, a long distance runner. He is the reigning Olympic champion in the 5000 metres and silver medalist for the 10,000 metres; World Champion in the 10,000 metres; and World Cross Country champion. Cheptegei currently holds world records in both the 5000 metres and the 10,000 metres, and holds the world record in the 15 kilometres road race. He is also the current Ugandan record holder in both the 5 km and 10 km. 

Halima Nakayi is a middle-distance runner who specializes in the 800 metres. She is the 2019 World Champion at the event, and won the bronze medal at the 2022 World Indoor Championships. Nakaayi is the current Ugandan record holder in the 800m both outdoors and indoors, and also for the 1000 metres. She competed in the 800 metres at both the 2016 Rio Olympics and 2020 Tokyo Olympics, reaching the semi-finals each time.

Sahdir Musa started boxing in 2009 under his father's guidance. He has since represented Uganda at 2017 African Championships in Congo-Brazzaville, 2018 Commonwealth Games and 2019 African Games. In February 2020, Bwogi qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo after defeating Ghana's Jesse Lartey in the welterweight box-off on the last day of the 2020 African Boxing Olympic Qualification Tournament that were held in Diamniadio, Senegal. At the Games, he lost 3-1 to Eskerkhan Madiev of Georgia.

Fred Musobois a Ugandan mountain runner. He won his first gold medal in 2015 at the World Mountain Running Championships.On 7th March 2021, he won the Source of the Nile Half Marathon. Fred Musobo was selected to compete in the men's marathon at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games alongside compatriots Stephen Kiprotich and Felix Chemonges.