OXFAM: Impact of Coastal Erosion in Ghana
Documenting the accelerating climate catastrophe along Ghana's Volta coastline—where rising sea levels were swallowing centuries-old fishing settlements overnight—under demanding maritime field conditions.
Deployed a rapid, self-contained two-man documentary team capturing dramatic aerial coastline devastation, raw waves crashing through residential ruins, and intimate verité interviews with displaced fishing families.
Provided Oxfam with an emotional and irrefutable visual document deployed across international climate advocacy campaigns, COP summits, and global donor appeals.
The Context & Challenge
Along the Volta River delta and eastern coastline of Ghana—communities such as Fuveme, Keta, and Ada—climate change is not an abstract future projection; it is a daily existential threat. Surging Atlantic tides, intensified storm surges, and coastal erosion have obliterated homes, submerged coconut groves, and forced thousands of artisanal fishermen to relocate inland. Oxfam International commissioned SA to produce a hard-hitting documentary capturing the crisis.
Strategic Approach & Execution
SA deployed a lean, two-man documentary expedition capable of rapid movement across sandbars and tidal marshes. We carried cinema cameras with weather-sealed lenses, sound recording gear for howling sea winds, and aerial drone units. We juxtaposed breathtaking, wide aerial shots of the encroaching Atlantic shoreline with deeply intimate ground-level portraits of elders and children standing amidst the waterlogged foundations of their former schools and ancestral homes.
The Deliverables & Craft
The deliverables included a cinematic short documentary film, localized broadcast spots, and high-resolution still photography for editorial publications. The edit rejected sensationalism in favor of stark, unvarnished human truth—allowing the roar of the Atlantic surf and the quiet testimony of displaced village leaders to drive the emotional narrative.
Outcomes & Long-Term Impact
The documentary became a flagship asset in Oxfam’s climate justice campaigns, showcased at international climate symposiums including COP negotiations and published across global news platforms. It brought immediate international attention and emergency relief awareness to Ghana’s vulnerable coastal belt.
Visual Deliverables Gallery
High-resolution brand guidelines, user interfaces, cinematography stills, and collateral designed for Oxfam International.
Commission a Similar System
Discuss requirements directly with creative principal Selom Afatsiawo.