PAUL A. BANGURA BIOGRAPHY
Paul A. Bangura is a Sierra Leonean Film Producer, Director, Screenwriter, Graphics Designer and Editor living in Australia. This Biography profiles his Childhood and Early Life, Career, Personal Life, Education and Achievements
He is the Founder and Chief Executive Director for the Sound Digital Video Entertainment Production Mollywood Australia Movie Industry. He is best known as a Film Producer, Director and a Photographer in Australia. Paul A. Bangura has a passion for Media work and he is a Media Specialist. He has been in the business of Photography and Film Making for over 25 years. Pauls work involves Photography, Film Shooting, Screen Writing, Graphics Design and Editing.
He is also the Founder and Chief Executive for the International nongovernmental Organization — NGO Support for Women and Children International (SFWACI) with its Headquarters Office based in Australia and its Africa Headquarter Office based in Sierra Leone, West Africa. This Organization supports vulnerable women and Children in Africa and elsewhere.
CHILDHOOD & EARLY LIFE
Paul A. Bangura, a Sierra Leonean living in Australia since 2005 to date, was born on the 17th of June 19.. in Mambolo Chiefdom, Kambia District, Northern Province of Sierra Leone, West Africa to a Muslim family of eight
(5 Boys & 3 Girls)
As the eldest son of his family. Paul A. Bangura converted to a Christian the year he started attending Baptist Primary School at Malambay, Mambolo Chiefdom, Kambia District, Northern Province of Sierra Leone, West Africa. Since childhood, he is a devoted Christian. Growing up, he loved to go to Church and read the Bible. His love for the Bible since childhood has made him a stand out Evangelist to date. He use to evangelize the word of God to his peers.
The Experiences of his past are undeniable. It goes without saying that his Childhood was more than just a learning experience. These are his greatest Memories! This is an essay. It is not only on his childhood but also about the lessons he learned throughout his childhood.
At the age of 10 or so, his Mother separated from his Father and moved to Kono, eastern province of Sierra Leone. His Father moved to Freetown the Capital City of Sierra Leone. His Mum remarried to a man named of Foday In Kono District the largest diamond mining Province in Sierra Leone, West Africa . Few months later, his father also Re-married another woman, and that was where his struggle for education started. Paul was left alone with his Aunties and Uncles. His parents abandoned him in Mambolo Town, no school fees, no money and no good accommodation. He dropped out from school for few years before his uncle Mr Osman picked him up at the age of 10. In Paul’s own words, I could remember that at one point in time, I lived in Mambolo Town. My sister and I would play outside constantly and we had a tendency to drive our parents crazy with our wild and rambunctious nature. I recall we would run around in the yard jumping as high as we possibly could trying so hard to catch the huge balloons that would float above us. Paul still recollects his memories when he was 10 years of age, his nickname was OH-PAPAY, and RADO-MATIC. He used to play football for his Soccer team. His group and team mates were always the winners because he was the best player in their team. As a 10-year old, he runs around with his friends on the dusty football pitch in the small town of Mambolo Chiefdom, Northern Province of Sierra Leone, West Africa. It’s not until he strips off his shirt that it becomes clear that his childhood was not an easy one. His chest and back are covered with large scars and they are painful. These scars are as a result of beatings and tortures he got from his uncles and aunties. His Dad and Mum did not care for him and his sister. After his primary education, at the age of 12, his father took him from his uncle, where he received more beatings and torture because of wrong information about him was always given to his Father about him by his step mother. His stepmother usually tells his Father that he is a bad boy, and on hearing that from his beloved wife about Paul, he always beats him. After some troubled and tough times with his Father, Paul could not bear the burden of more beatings and torture and so, he once again moved to his uncle Mr Osman who took him to Bo Town, The Southern Province of Sierra Leone, West Africa and enrolled him at the Bo Government Secondary School. His days in Bo Town were happy ones before he started going to school, as he had good neighbours to play with from morning till evening. He played games outdoors, dressed as cowboys and red Indians and rode about on their bicycles happily. There were also other games that occupied their time. Paul only began to enjoy love and care when he was about 15 years of age that is when he realized that children indeed need attention and care.
CAREER
Paul A. Bangura decided to be a Film Producer and Director in 1987 at a time in Freetown, Sierra Leone, West Africa when he was sharing a single bedroom with three of his friends. His friends were photographers and he was the youngest among them. He was not interested in being a photographer by then though things were difficult for him and he could not figure out where to get income of support. Rent in Freetown though was relatively cheap at that time, a young man like Paul who was not working or doing business to acquire money found it very difficult to fulfil his own part of the house payment agreement by the four. This brought about serious pressure on him as to how he could raise money not only for the house rent but also for his welfare and other basic needs. With such confusion, he decided to join his three friends who were photographers to do the photography job. His friends for months tried to convince him to join them but reluctantly he refused because he found no pleasure and love in the job by then. Due to the financial pressure, he was left with no alternative after when his friends realized that he could not afford to pay his own part of the rent and he must leave. That was when he decided to join them even though, he had been told by his friends that he could do it and that he should give it a try.
When finally he agreed to join them on the insistence of one of his friends, Abu White, he ended up becoming the most popular photographer not only among his friends but also in the field. Because of that, he decided to register himself as a Professional Photographer at the Photo World Printing Studio in Freetown, Sierra Leone, West Africa.
When the war broke out in March 1990 in Sierra Leone, Paul A. Bangura fled Sierra Leone and he tried to live in several African countries including Guinea, Gambia, Nigeria, Senegal, and Togo as a refugee. As life was so difficult in these countries, Paul eventually went to Ghana where he continued his Photography business. While in Ghana, he established his own Photo Printing Studio with the brand name SUNLIGHT PHOTO STUDIO. He cultivated a lot of qualities in his business which gave him the highest standard to compete with others.
Upon his arrival in Australia in February 2005, he decided to take up Film making as a career because he has passion for it. His love and passion for the job encouraged him to do many courses and workshops just to achieve his goal as a professional Film maker.
Paul is currently working for EBL Disability Services in Adelaide, South Australia. He started his first job in Australia in 2006 in the Disability Services industry which involves providing services to people with disability.
EDUCATION
Paul A. Bangura started his primary education at KDC Primary School in Mambolo and the Baptist Primary School in Malambay, Mambolo Chiefdom, Kambia District, Northern Province of Sierra Leone, West Africa.
He further continued his Secondary education in various parts of the country beginning with the Government Independent Secondary School in Freetown, the Capital city of Sierra Leone. The Bo Government Secondary School in Bo Town, the Southern Province of Sierra Leone, West Africa. He continued his education with Youth With a Mission Discipleship Programme at
90 Pademba Road, Freetown Sierra Leone, West Africa in 1995 and then the Christ Ambassador Bible School in Accra the capital City of Ghana, West Africa In 2000. He further continued his education in Bible school, and he graduated with a Diploma in theology at The Board of Governors of Christ School of the Word, Accra, Ghana, West Africa in 2002. He also further continued his education with Revival Fire Ministerial Council Accra, Ghana, West Africa in 2003.
That was not the end, he later pursued more education on the Bible with a correspondence Bible course in England in 2003.
He graduated from the Senior College for Learning and Development with the Qualification as a Disability Service Officer in Adelaide, South Australia in 2008 and he further gained certificates in Film Producing, Directing, Screenwriting, Graphics Design and Editing from TAFE SA Technical College. An Institute that deals with Film Making and Photography courses in 2010. He
Further continued his education in Theology at the Christian Life Bible Church, Adelaide, Australia, 2010 and 2016.
Paul is currently pursuing a Diploma in Film, TV and Theatre Jobs on line at the AMPS Film School in Adelaide, South Australia.
PERSONAL LIFE
Paul A. Bangura, a man of Christian faith, values and discipline is a man everyone will like to work with based on his Charisma, Leadership skills, Social and Creative Intelligence. Based on his family’s cultural values, Paul was nurtured to be Friendly, Polite, Open Minded, Innovative and more importantly be Honest, Transparent and to be Kind.
In simple description, Paul A. Bangura is a dream transformer to reality. As a true believer of the Bible, Paul is married and he is blessed with five children. Their names are!
(1) Abigail P. Bangura
(2) Muriel P. Bangura
(3) Apostle-Paul Bangura
(4) Paulette Zion Bangura
(5) Pauletta Zion Bangura
Challenges / Struggles
As the saying goes, there is no success without struggle and Paul A. Bangura is no exception. Like any other person, Paul A. Bangura encountered a lot of challenges in his personal life starting from his childhood days:-
- At the tender age of 10 years, Pauls Father and Mother separated and their separation led to Paul not being able to attend one single School instead attending one particular School for a certain period of time and another School at another time. All of this happened because after his parent’s separation, there was no one particular person who was willing to pay his School fees. It was only after when Paul travelled to Australia in 2005, that his Father and Mother came back together.
- As mentioned above, Paul fled Sierra Leone just after when the war broke out in 1990 and he lived as a refugee in various countries in West Africa like Guinea, Gambia, Senegal, Nigeria, Togo and Ghana.
Even though Paul encountered a lot of challenges / struggles in his personal life, his love and passion for the Christian faith did not diminish. While in Ghana, he continued his Evangelism and this is something he finds passion to do till date.
ACHIEVEMENTS AND AWARDS
As Paul A. Bangura is a dream transformer to reality, He can boast of achieving a lot. For example, since he decided to go into the film making business, he first established his own film industry in Australia called the SOUND DIGITAL VIDEO ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTION MOLLYWOOD AUSTRALIA MOVIE INDUSTRY. Since its establishment, Paul has grown to become a seasoned Film Producer, Director, Screenwriter, Graphics Designer and Editor. His achievements tell it all. He has Produced and Directed 17 feature length films in five different countries across the world namely:-
- NAME OF FILM YEAR OF PRODUCTION COUNTRY OF PRODUCTION
- Face book Triangular Web 2010 Australia
- Great Disappointment 2010 Australia
- The Wife Of My Boss 2011 Australia
- The Same Girl 2011 Australia
- The Womanizer 2012 Australia
- The Kidnappers 2012 Australia
- Airport Girls 2013 Ghana, West Africa
&
Sierra Leone, West Africa
- Child Trafficking 2013 Sierra Leone, West Africa
- The Classic Girls 2014 Australia
- Mysterious 2014 Australia
- Identical Twins 2015 Australia
- Dangerous Friend 2015 Australia
- Loosing The Bound 2016 Sierra Leone, West Africa
- Who Killed The Ministers Daughter 2016 United States Of America
- Racism & Domestic Violence Against Women 2017 Australia
- The Unknown Princess 2017 Dubai
&
Sierra Leone, West Africa
- Palace Confusion 2017 Sierra Leone, West Africa
Paul A. Bandura dedication and hard work has earned him respect and recognition in the Film making industries in Australia, Nollywood in Nigeria, Hollywood in the United States of America, Ghallywood in Ghana and the Sierra Leone Film Industry. Paul won an award with UNHCR for the best Community Photography at the Krisan Sanzule refugee camp in Ghana, in Western region.
Paul Also won an award from the Sierra Leonean Community of South Australia (SILCOSA) as a Community Photographer and Videographer. On Saturday 13th of May 2006.
Being best Film maker, Videographer and Photography in Australia, meant a lot to be recognised by his own community because he is passionate about His job and he is dedicated to building up and promoting the advancement of a more inclusive, culturally aware and acceptance society in the film industry.
Moreover, within Australia, Paul A. Bangura is the first Sierra Leonean that won the award as best Film Producer and Director at the celebrations of African Australian National Awards. An event which took place at the Parliament house in Canberra, Australia on the 27th of July 2013.
Again because of his vast knowledge in Disability Services and his love for humanity, Paul has been able to establish an International nongovernmental Organization — NGO in Australia as well as in West Africa to support vulnerable women and children. The name of the Organization is called SUPPORT FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN INTERNATIONAL (SFWACI). Paul Is also working for TRV Homes as a Property Consultant since the beginning of 2017
For more information on the work and activities of SOUND DIGITAL VIDEO ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTION MOLLYWOOD AUSTRALIA MOVIE INDUSTRY, visit the website at www.mollywoodaustralia.com.au
For more information about the work and activities of the International nongovernmental Organization, please visit the Organization’s website at www.sfwaci.org
CONTACT INFORMATION
Paul A. Bangura,
- Media Specialist, C.E.O, Producer & Director,
Sound Digital Video Entertainment Production Mollywood Australia Movie Industry
- Founder & Chief Executive
Support for Women and Children International (SFWACI)
AUSTRALIA HEADQUTER ADDRESS
26 Burdon Street, Elizabeth Park
SA 5113 Adelaide State,
South Australia.
Contact Numbers:
+61 432 799 850
+61 431 167 811
Email: paulabangura@sfwaci.org
Email: admin@sfwaci.org
Email: paulabangura@yahoo.com.au
AFRICAN HEADQUARTER ADDRESS:
26 Paul’s Avenue Allen Town, Temne Town, Freetown, Sierra Leone. West Africa.
Office Contact Line: +23279000717 0r +23277858660
Admin Email address: admin@sfwaci.org
Email: paulabangura@sfwaci.org
Email: admin@sfwaci.org
Website: www.sfwaci.org