Summary:
Told in the context of Kenya's post-election violence, A Chance for Peace is more accurately represented as an humanistic exploration of peace, told through the captivating stories of three of Kenya's unsung heroes.


A street artist brings peace to the slums of Nairobi.

A nurse providing free medical care to thousands of people.

A Maasai man, the only one holding a degree in his district, building a boys and girls school from the ground up.


These are the inspirational stories that have created A Chance for Peace.


Background:
Kenya's post-election violence was characterized as "another African ethnic cleansing" and as a "tribal conflict," but do the tensions run deeper than this narrow, dismissive summation? A Chance for Peace gives Kenyan's the opportunity to tell their side of the story honoring those risking their lives to promote peace of all kinds - from a nurse-turned-medical marvel, to graffiti artists and Maasai education pioneers. When it seems like it would be enough to accept peace as the absence of violence, the men, women, and children in this film redefine the traditionally accepted, narrowly defined notions of Kenyans and Africans in general, creating hope by will and faith alone.

When your past is wrought with inequality and when your present is threatened, what will you do to create a better future for you and your community? A Chance for Peace tackles this question head-on.


Process:

In 2007, student-turned-documentary film director and producer Tyler Batson, volunteered in Kenya. It was at this time that as fate would have it, one of his volunteer director's, Emmanuel Leina, was running for Member of Parliament. Tyler, a student of art and lover of culture, got a crash course in development and Kenyan politics, and in a short time began campaigning with Emmanuel, speaking to hundreds of Kenyans on the campaign trial throughout the Maasai dominated Transmara District.

Changed by his experience, Tyler returned to California and continued following the election in Kenya and remained in close contact with Emmanuel and his new friends.

When the post-election violence hit and his friends were in danger Tyler responded with A Chance for Peace. What so many were shrugging off as "normal for Africa" became a mission to tell the whole story and to celebrate those fighting for peace in Kenya.


Today:
Two weeks after he returned from Kenya, Tyler's apartment burnt down. Essentially homeless for almost a year, Tyler eventually finished school and, with no other opportunities at home, he began traveling and finding new stories.

But A Chance for Peace awaits. With 60 hours of HD footage, Tyler is seeking funding and building a community of like-minded people interested in creating A Chance for Peace to share it with the world.


How it all started...


*To learn more about donating online click here

Interested in becoming a producer? We could use the help!
Email Tyler at batson.tyler@gmail.com