Welcome to the Foundation
Creating films & using them to inspire social action
From Art to Impact
Films can be more than entertainment. Films can inspire us, challenge our assumptions, raise our awareness, re-orient our perspectives, and focus our energies.
Films can create a space for us to have meaningful discussions about relevant societal themes, to reflect on our own reality, and to become agents of positive social change in our environment.
Films can inspire courage for change!
What do we do?
We make inspiring films
We support the creation of films that touch peoples' hearts and broaden mindsets
We stimulate meaningful conversations
We develop educational toolkits to accompany our films to stimulate discussion and positive action
We encourage and accompany
We train and accompany people who wish to use our films as a tool to inspire change in their environment.
We collaborate with like minded organisations
We collaborate with organisations that have a network of schools or youth groups to use the films to inspire change.
We participate in discourses
We speak at events about the power of the arts to inspire change and mobilise youth.
We provide scholarships
We support individuals to advance in their studies who have contributed towards arts and education of others.
Our filmMercy's Blessing
Mercy’s Blessing is set in an African village and is a story of selfless love and sacrifice in the midst of social injustice.
It has won 12 international film awards, and is supported by UNICEF, UNFPA, and the European Union.
Mercy’s Blessing challenges entrenched attitudes and assumptions about gender equality.
It highlights the power of the human spirit and the capacity of young people, especially boys and men, to act courageously, despite great odds, to uphold equality and justice.
The film creates a space for meaningful discussions to take place; making us aware of our own social reality, recognising our prejudices, our privileges, and the power of choice in creating change.
Visit Mercy's Blessing Website
The power of filmInspiring the Masses
Our award-winning short film, Mercy’s Blessing is being used in over 100 countries worldwide to raise awareness about gender equality, education and to inspire social action.
International Organizations
International organisations, such as United Nations and European Union, are using Mercy’s Blessing for campaigns and events to advance the discourses around gender equality and education. See Stories
Schools and Universities
Mercy’s Blessing is being used in schools and universities around the world by teachers, organisations and governments. Some schools and universities have integrated the film into their curricula. See Stories
Communities and neighbourhoods
Mercy’s Blessing is being used at the grassroots in community centres, junior youth groups, youth camps, libraries, offices, local cinemas and homes to inspire individuals and groups to become active agents of positive change in their communities. See Stories
Mercy's BlessingSelected Stories
MALAWI: Village decides to send its girls to school after watching 'Mercy’s Blessing'
A village in the Salima district in Malawi was not sending their girl children to school. A community screening of Mercy’s Blessing was organised by UNICEF and around 300 women, men, girls and boys attended. Following the screening there was a long discussion on whether girls have equal rights to education as boys do. By the end of the night, almost every single mother and father promised to send their daughter to school. The girls who attended the screening also expressed an eager desire to go to school.
In Malawi, according to UNICEF less than 25% of girls finish primary school, less that 5% of girls finish high school and 50% of girls are child brides. (Malawi 2017)
THE NETHERLANDS: Junior youth discuss privilege, sacrifice and standing up for justice
Around 50 youth (aged 11 to 15) in the Netherlands, viewed and discussed the film Mercy’s Blessing as part of a summer school. Three youth were trained as facilitators and used the Workshop Questions to engage the junior youth in stimulating discussions around the concepts of privilege, sacrifice and standing up for justice in their own lives and environment. (The Netherlands 2017)
BRAZIL: Government creates campaign around 'Mercy's Blessing' to reduce high school drop outs
One of the biggest challenges in Brazil is high school dropouts. In São Paulo, the government collaborated with ClassApp to create a campaign using Mercy’s Blessing. They showed the film to thousands of students in different schools. The film helped to raise awareness and create discussions among the students about the choices they are making in their lives, the purpose of their education, and using their capacities for service to humanity. The campaign included a competition where students created short films for social media to highlight the issue and to inspire former students to return to their education. The impact of the film was measured over a year and resulted in many students returning to complete their education and for those who had considered dropping out to remain. Due to the success of the campaign, the government has recommended all schools in the São Paulo metropolitan area to use Mercy’s Blessing as a tool to reduce high school dropouts. (Brazil 2017-present)
Get InvolvedInspire the Change
Watch 'Mercy's Blessing'
Organise a screening of the film with others. The film can be shown in schools and universities, community centres, youth groups, offices, cinemas and living rooms!
Stimulate Conversation
Use our free Resource Kit to help you facilitate meaningful discussions. The Workshop Questions will assist you to explore the different themes of the movie in relation to your own reality.
Take Positive Action
The Resource Kit helps translate the insights gained from your discussion into positive social action and creative artistic expression.
creating filmHelp fund our next movie!
We are in the process of creating an inspiring and thought-provoking film, Next Door (a narrative drama) that will be filmed in the Netherlands. The story takes place in a small Dutch town where a Dutch family lives next door to a Muslim refugee family from Syria. The film will raise awareness and stimulate discussion around some of the pressing issues concerning the polarisation and radicalisation of youth (western and eastern) following the influx of muslim refugees in western countries. The film challenges the assumption that one’s identity is defined in contrast to each other by blurring the boundaries between ‘us’ and ‘them’ toward recognising our common humanity. The film can be used as a tool in schools and communities to address prejudices that exist on ‘both sides’, with the ultimate aim of creating compassion, understanding, dialogue and friendship across perceived irreconcilable differences.
We are grateful to Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds for their grant toward the development of the film script.
Our Foundation requires additional funds to create the film. If you would also like to make a contribution toward the creation of this film, we would be most grateful. You can make your donation here.
Our Collaborators
