A UNIQUE film funded, produced and written by an Ilminster charity is touring Kenya in a solar powered backpack cinema.

The film is called Lisilojulikana, which means The Unknown in Swahili, and tells the real-life story of a woman with cerebral palsy living in rural Kenya.

It describes the life of Grace, an orphaned, severely disabled, teenager who is reluctantly adopted by a relative. Although the girl faces enormous prejudices, her own strength of character wins through in dramatic fashion.

Rob Rainbow, trustee at Purple Field Productions, said: “Grace is a fun-loving, intelligent and loveable teenager but she cannot walk or keep her body still for any length of time.

“Like most children with disabilities in East Africa, she excites fear and anxiety and is largely rejected by society, so, for most such children, this Christmas will be spent locked away, out of sight.

“Cerebral palsy carries with it stigma and prejudice based largely on ignorance and superstition.”

Grace is played by Vanessa Atieno, who has cerebral palsy herself, in the 50-minute drama.

The Unknown, like all PFP films, is in the local language, uses local people as actors and is based on real accounts.

Mrs Atieno said: “Reactions have been very positive, with every audience saying how much they liked the film.

“People drew a lot of strength from it, amazed that a story that felt very personal to them was clearly much bigger than they had imagined.

“It seems a very sensitive, emotional issue for a lot of the mothers that have watched these screenings, and it clearly opens up a lot of questions and fears.

“Many had been already been told that disability was not a curse but it was only now, when they saw this reinforced within a film and story that was so real and true, that they could actually believe it.”

Mr Rainbow added: “This could be the last year the government awards a winter fuel allowance to pensioners.

“As you know, the allowance is given to all households, irrespective of income.

“For some of us the allowance is a godsend while for others, who are better off, simply a rather nice Christmas present.”

“If you are in the latter category, have you considered donating part or all of the money to charity?”

To donate and find out more about PFP, go to www.purplefieldproductions.org.