Panelist
Botswana
Theo Silitshena is a Botswana-based animator, writer, director, storyboard artist, and creative educator with close to a decade of experience in the country’s film and television industry. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Motion Picture from AFDA Botswana and has worked across storytelling, animation, digital illustration, filmmaking, and creative-program development. Theo is also a co-writer of To the Moon, an Afro-futurist animated project developed with the U.S.-based Studio Moyo. His work focuses on using animation and storytelling to create opportunities for African creatives and bring Botswana-rooted stories to international audiences.
Learn Animation is a Botswana-based creative education company founded by Theo Silitshena in 2022. The company teaches 2D animation, digital art, illustration, storytelling, and related creative skills to children, young people, creative professionals, and adults through workshops, school programs, mentorship, and community initiatives. Learn Animation also provides access to equipment, practical training, portfolio development, and industry guidance, with the goal of making animation education more accessible and strengthening Botswana’s creative industry. Through partnerships with schools, community organizations, the U.S. Embassy, and other institutions, the program has supported hundreds of aspiring artists and helped connect Botswana’s emerging talent with regional and international opportunities.