Trinitonian 16 ONLINE

ALUMNI FEATURE
MALIYAMUNGU GIFT MUHANDE
TRINITYHOUSE RANDPARK RIDGE
MATRICULATED IN 2014
Gift is a filmmaker and
art director, as well as a
graduate candidate at
The New School for her
MA in Media Studies.
She is also busy getting
her graduate certificate in
documentary filmmaking.
Could you tell us some of the
projects that you have worked
on of which you are most proud?
The Dumbest Project aimed
to address the 15% teacher
pay gap in the US. We showed
conceptual footage from the
year 2027 to communicate
what will happen to the world if
people get dumber. The project
received a Gold Loerie award.
The Colour for Change project
saw the creation of a colouringin
book for children refugees. The
book is made up of drawings by
different people’s thoughts on
what they would’ve wanted to
have coloured in as a child. This
project began when I started
to realise how the images in
colouring-in books did not
include my own sense of identity.
At Ogilvy I had the privilege to
work on a book that could only
be read with dirt for OMO. Another
special project was my buddy
Zach Louw’s ‘The School Portrait
Project’ which saw school portrait
photos in the homes of 603
children who couldn’t afford it.
What do you love the most
about your work?
I love that my work always stems
from personal insight. I aim to
connect personal concerns and
passions with larger systemic
issues. I use creativity to question
58 | The Trinitonian
societal norms and think of
solutions and ideas to collectively
help us out of the ruts.
If you could go back to school,
what would do differently?
I would not compare myself
to everyone else or try to fit in,
instead I would prioritise my
mental health.
What would you tell your 16-
year old self today?
You are enough, don’t seek
validation but invest in yourself
in ways that can’t be measured
by those around you.
What do you believe is the key
to success?
Failing fast and learning from
your failures with humility, loving
grace and mindfulness on your
sleeve.
Is there a certain teacher who
had a significant influence on
you?
My art teacher encouraged me
to be real with myself and to
use art as a vessel to discover
who I am and to heal. The art
room was my safe haven where
I could be completely free and
honest. I think that’s the first time
I experienced therapy. She calls
me her handbag, I was exactly
that – never left her sight and
followed her everywhere.
Her spirit is unmatched.
Teachers are precious.
What keeps you motivated and
how do you tackle challenges?
My parents have worked so hard
to give me the opportunities I
have. That stirs a lot of gratitude,
perspective and vision in me. I
am also motivated by the spirit
of humanity; we are spiritual
beings and I’ve never separated
the two. I am because we are
and in order to live in harmony
with myself and my community, I
invest my time in things that bring
value to those around me and
inevitably it always uplifts my spirit.
What disciplines/values
are most important?
I am still working at this, TIME
MANAGEMENT … They tell us this
in school and we think they are
playing, it’s so real!
Is there a message you would
like to share with current
Trinityhouse pupils?
Alot of it doesn’t make sense
right now and that’s okay, it’s
not meant to. Time will reveal
the bigger picture. Don’t put
pressure on yourself to have it all
together, trust the process and
keep showing up for yourself.
My spirituality got me through
high school and to this day grace
carries me through everything I
do. Invest in that connection!