Using skills from both Media Film and Drama combined with English Language and consultancy in Leeds, where she has progressed through completion of the Level 3 Literature skills, BTEC Student of the Year 2019 Josephine Kiaga is both a creative and Extended Diploma in Construction and the Built Environment and the Level 3 Advanced inspirational voice for her peers and the wider community.

She is an exemplary BTEC student having taken a BTEC Subsidiary Diploma in Creative Media Production (Film and Television) and a BTEC Diploma in Performing Arts (Acting) at Braeburn International School, Arusha, Tanzania.

She says of her course; ‘My BTEC courses have helped to give me a real direction. At the end of my two years, I know that I’m passionate about film. I don’t want to be at the centre of it – on screen- but behind the action. I love film and the BTEC vocational and practical approach to learning. The course gives me the flexibility to merge all my interests in the arts such as acting, poetry, and drama with film. Going through high school, I constantly tried to find my place. I tried doing A-Levels but I found them too traditional and inflexible. The BTEC courses I have taken have all blended together rather than standing as individual subjects alone. As a result, this course was ideal for me.

As well as a Director, Josephine is also a powerful leader. She has excelled in LAMDA, achieving distinctions in both Grade 8 Public Speaking, the highest in Tanzania, enabling her to teach LAMDA classes assisting fellow students. She was an ambassador of Human Rights at EAMUN conference. She co-organised a ‘Girls Empowerment’ day for local girls in the community where they ran workshops regarding entrepreneurship, female hygiene and more.

She’s an active member on the pre-and post-production team of the TedX Majengo-Arusha. In school productions, she helped stage logistics, accent development and vocal coaching of the cast. She wrote two short plays for her BTEC, where she cast members, wrote music and had people perform.

Josephine has high ambitions. She says:

“I developed my skills to express my concerns within the world in a creative, original and new way. I’ve created films I’m passionate about – awareness of sexual assault, different types of sexual abuse and FGM prevention. I want the female African perspective to be heard and film is a powerful tool to express my ideas. I want to be a director who makes a change and who creates with a purpose.”

BTEC Student of the Year 2019 Josephine Kiaga is a future creative leader and a face to watch. She is already a powerful advocate for women and her country and her energy and passion for the creative arts is going to take her far.