Warren Bright, a digital marketer and entrepreneur based in Cape Town, recently spend some time with us in Zithulele. He is a talented videographer, amoung many other things, and generously offered to film Axium's different programs as well as put together a couple of short videos about the work we do. The videos will be launched in the USA during our upcoming fundraising campaign in November. We cannot wait to share them with you! In the meantime you can get to know the enthusiastic, innovative and creative Warren Bright.
What has brought you to Zithulele to spend some time with Axium Education?
I have a digital marketing and social media agency (SCOPE), which I started in at the beginning of the year. It is a business that I want to be able to use as a platform for ministry and to help other people. Axium Education contacted me because they needed some help with digital marketing, specifically in creating video content. I thought it was the perfect opportunity for me to realize this goal of my business. I love film and telling stories.
Your business, SCOPE Agency, is based in Cape Town. Tell us more about your present business goals.
I have a long-term business goal with relates to a personal goal of mine. I really want to feel that my life has meaning and to be able to use my time here wisely. I want to be a witness, and represent Christ well, in all my business relationships and operations. That is my ultimate business goal.
What does SCOPE Agency do?
SCOPE is a digital marketing agency. I offer a variety of digital marketing services including website development, online advertising, marketing strategizing among others. SCOPE is a full-service agency; we walk alongside our clients during the entire ‘digital route’. I strive towards building effective long-term partnerships with clients, as they are very rewarding.
Although social media is an important aspect of your business, you have also had a more informal and playful relationship with it. For example, your personal vlogging and Youtube channel. Tell us more about your Youtube channel and how that came about.
I started creating Youtube videos 8 years ago while I was in high school. I had a tiny 4 mega-pixel camera, it was terrible. I made about 50 videos on that initial Youtube channel.
Is your first Youtube channel still up?
It’s on private. It’s still there. It’s so bad.
Back then not many people were vlogging in South Africa and not many young people had their own Youtube channels. I was getting thousands of views. Later, I began another Youtube channel with a friend. The new channel focused on South African content and the videos were fun and quirky. I have now rebranded this channel to be more business orientated.
Tell me more about your recent free guide to mastering the Instagram hashtag.
The idea behind the guide is to give away free information to help people with their own Instagram marketing strategies. It is a way for me to showcase my digital marketing knowledge as a way to gain potential clients.
This has been your first trip to the former Transkei region in the Eastern Cape. What are some of your first impressions?
The scenery is absolutely beautiful. All the houses are so far apart, which is so different to Cape Town. There is so much litter, which makes sense to me now since there is no municipal waste collection here. It’s so muddy at the moment during the rainy season and there are so many dogs.
How has your time here with Axium impacted your thinking? What new ideas and insights have you gained?
I have a new respect for people who don’t have much but who are still happy. There is a strong sense of community here; everyone is friendly and greets you. To be so friendly isn’t as common in the city. I have also become more water conscious after seeing people here have to walk to collect dirty water from rivers. Even though Cape Town is experiencing a drought, clean drinking water is still available.
What has stood out to you after visiting some of the local schools and seeing the lack of infrastructure and facilities?
Here, even if you are really keen on pursuing a university degree, there are so many things that are against you. It must be impossible to concentrate in class here with the lack of desks, cold wind blowing through broken classroom windows and not being able to understand when the teacher is teaching in English. I’ve heard that some teachers have to teach classes of over 100 learners; how would they be able to identify which learners need additional academic support and which learners are competent.
I have also heard that many parents encourage their children to go and work on the mines after school to earn money for their families, as opposed to studying at university, which doesn’t encourage learners to focus on their academic work. Then having to walk home for an hour to a house without electricity, having to fetch wood and make a fire to cook on and then having to try study with candles. It’s bleak.
You attended one of Axium’s community-based reading clubs. How was that experience?
I think that the reading clubs in the community is a great way to meet children where they are at; Axium is taking a step out of the classroom and into the community. Axium is showing that if children aren’t prepared or able to come to you in a classroom then you are still prepared to go out to them.
Why would you say that it is worthwhile for people to visit the former Transkei or spend some time here with Axium Education?
People easily get stuck in their own little bubbles. You hear about these things happening but because you have not personally experienced any of it yourself, there is a disconnect and you can’t relate to the struggles of others. You can hear about the issues in education on the news, but coming here and actually seeing what people face is important. This region is also incredibly beautiful. We’re practically in the middle of nowhere. It’s a great place to get out of your routine and comfort zone; to take time out and get a sense of the ‘bigger picture’.
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