Film Producer Will O’Donnell and Editor Holger Waschinski. Photo by Karen Kendall

Staff report

On Saturday night, the Reel Deal Theater presented a free screening of the grassroots film Education is Hope. The film was produced locally and filmed in Kenya by Will O’Donnell  and Dylan Westfall. The documentary film highlights the efforts of the International Peace Initiatives (IPI) to provide opportunities for children to attend school. Holger Waschinski of Pac8 edited the movie.

Will O’Donnell and Fredah Rajab, a young woman featured in the film, were on hand before and after the screening to answer questions. Reel Deal owner and O’Donnell’s father, Jim O’Donnell introdcued the movie to the full theater. Will O’Donnell’s grandfather, Bill Deal was also at the screening and proudly told the audience that Will first became interested in Africa when he was an exchange student in Ghana. 

Education is Hope highlights the importance of high school and college education to children in Kenya as a tool to escape poverty, violence and disease by powerfully telling the story of individual children who have been helped by and would not have received an education with the help of IPI. Many people in the audience were so moved by the inspirational film that they gave donations to IPI to continue their work in Kenya.

IPI is a Kenya and U.S. based organization that is dedicated to supporting and funding initiatives that mitigate the effects of poverty, disease, discrimination and violence. IPI provides homes for orphans and vulnerable children, supports African grassroots organizations and community leaders. For more information on IPI, visit their website at http://www.ipeacei.org/

Fredah Rajab received her educaiton in Kenya with funding from IPI and currently is working on her bachelor’s degree in Boulder, Colorado. Photo by Karen Kendall

Education is Hope by William O’Donnell and Dylan Westfall. Courtesy Photo