Movie brings aid, politics and church growth to Kenya
-18/01/06
An award winning film
Movie brings aid, politics and church growth to Kenya
-18/01/06
An award winning film shot in Kibera, one of Africa’s largest shanty towns near Nairobi, has inspired a charity that hopes to improve the conditions of an estimated 800,000 Kenyans living in deprivation ñ writes Fredrick Nzwili from Nairobi for Ecumenical News International.
The film concerned is “The Constant Gardener”, starring Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz, directed by Brazilian Fernando Meirelles.
“The residents remember happily the few days the production was being done here,” the Rev Samuel Machugu, a Presbyterian minister serving in Kibera told Nzwili.
The team that shot the film directed built toilets, shower blocks, three 10,000 litre water tanks, a bridge, and a level playing ground to allow children to play safely.
“Missions like this one that improve the lives of the people are welcome,” said Machugu. “We have been urging charity groups to help these needy people. The task is overwhelming.”
The projects were undertaken by a charity, The Constant Gardener Trust, set up by some of the filmmakers, including Simon Channing Williams, the film’s British producer.
The trust also supported the building of a secondary school in the deserts of northern Kenya where the film concludes.
“The Constant Gardener Trust … is determined to see through what the film started and to continue supporting both of these communities in a focused and specific way,” the trust says on its website.
It says the intention during filming was to support local communities, using local labour where feasible, and paying fairly for the work done.
“The Constant Gardener” is estimated to have put 5 million US dollars into the Kenyan economy as a whole, but the residents of Kibera feel it has also put money into their pockets.
“We went round Kibera. I showed them a few locations, then was asked to show them a place where they could see slum roof tops,” explains Peter Gachanja, who co-ordinated young men to provide security for the team. “They immediately hired and paid me.”
The film is based on a 2001 best-selling novel by John Le Carre, whose hero is Justin Quayle, a polite, mild-mannered reserved British diplomat in Kenya.
Ralph Fiennes stars as Justin Quayle, and Rachel Weisz plays Quayle’s wife, Tessa. She is murdered after threatening to expose a multinational pharmaceutical company testing drugs on Africans.
The movie begins as a political drama and evolves into a powerful and moving love story told through flashbacks. It took the top prizes at the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA), being named best film, with Fiennes and Weisz gaining the best actor and actress awards.
John Le Carre’s book was at first banned in Kenya, because of its depiction of corruption among government officials. But filming was allowed after the team explained that they hoped it would bring in money and jobs.
The Rev Joel Inyangala, of the Pentecostal Assemblies of God church at the heart of Kibera, may not have paid much attention to the plot, but he is pleased “The Constant Gardener” team constructed new classrooms for a nursery school at the centre where he works.
Nearby, a concrete bridge has also been built to give people and vehicle access to a health centre. “My flock has increased thanks to the bridge,” says Inyangala. “I now have to figure how to expand the church hall.”
[With acknowledgements to ENI. Ecumenical News International is jointly sponsored by the World Council of Churches, the Lutheran World Federation, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, and the Conference of European Churches.]
Movie brings aid, politics and church growth to Kenya
-18/01/06
An award winning film shot in Kibera, one of Africa’s largest shanty towns near Nairobi, has inspired a charity that hopes to improve the conditions of an estimated 800,000 Kenyans living in deprivation – writes Fredrick Nzwili from Nairobi for Ecumenical News International.
The film concerned is “The Constant Gardener”, starring Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz, directed by Brazilian Fernando Meirelles.
“The residents remember happily the few days the production was being done here,” the Rev Samuel Machugu, a Presbyterian minister serving in Kibera told Nzwili.
The team that shot the film directed built toilets, shower blocks, three 10,000 litre water tanks, a bridge, and a level playing ground to allow children to play safely.
“Missions like this one that improve the lives of the people are welcome,” said Machugu. “We have been urging charity groups to help these needy people. The task is overwhelming.”
The projects were undertaken by a charity, The Constant Gardener Trust, set up by some of the filmmakers, including Simon Channing Williams, the film’s British producer.
The trust also supported the building of a secondary school in the deserts of northern Kenya where the film concludes.
“The Constant Gardener Trust … is determined to see through what the film started and to continue supporting both of these communities in a focused and specific way,” the trust says on its website.
It says the intention during filming was to support local communities, using local labour where feasible, and paying fairly for the work done.
“The Constant Gardener” is estimated to have put 5 million US dollars into the Kenyan economy as a whole, but the residents of Kibera feel it has also put money into their pockets.
“We went round Kibera. I showed them a few locations, then was asked to show them a place where they could see slum roof tops,” explains Peter Gachanja, who co-ordinated young men to provide security for the team. “They immediately hired and paid me.”
The film is based on a 2001 best-selling novel by John Le Carre, whose hero is Justin Quayle, a polite, mild-mannered reserved British diplomat in Kenya.
Ralph Fiennes stars as Justin Quayle, and Rachel Weisz plays Quayle’s wife, Tessa. She is murdered after threatening to expose a multinational pharmaceutical company testing drugs on Africans.
The movie begins as a political drama and evolves into a powerful and moving love story told through flashbacks. It took the top prizes at the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA), being named best film, with Fiennes and Weisz gaining the best actor and actress awards.
John Le Carre’s book was at first banned in Kenya, because of its depiction of corruption among government officials. But filming was allowed after the team explained that they hoped it would bring in money and jobs.
The Rev Joel Inyangala, of the Pentecostal Assemblies of God church at the heart of Kibera, may not have paid much attention to the plot, but he is pleased “The Constant Gardener” team constructed new classrooms for a nursery school at the centre where he works.
Nearby, a concrete bridge has also been built to give people and vehicle access to a health centre. “My flock has increased thanks to the bridge,” says Inyangala. “I now have to figure how to expand the church hall.”
[With acknowledgements to ENI. Ecumenical News International is jointly sponsored by the World Council of Churches, the Lutheran World Federation, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, and the Conference of European Churches.]