WHY WE FOCUS ON CHANGEMAKERS
A Purpose-Driven Approach to Documentary Storytelling
To truly experience a place, you have to learn from its changemakers.
Every community has people who are actively working to solve problems, strengthen connections, and create a better future. Some changemakers shift the course of human development, earning them international recognition—Maya Angelou, Nelson Mandela, Greta Thunberg, Mohammed Yunus, Rachel Carson, Martin Luther King Jr., Eva Perón, Malala Yousafzai.
But most changemakers are not household names.
They are known only in their own communities—recognized as experts, leaders, and visionaries dedicated to making their corner of the world a better place. These are the people whose work drives progress every day, even without global attention.
At Actuality Abroad, we believe that storytelling should serve this kind of work.
That’s why, in every destination, we collaborate with locally led social impact organizations—to ensure that the stories we tell don’t just document change, but contribute to it.
Stories About Changemakers Shift the Focus from Problems to Solutions
For too long, storytelling about global communities has focused on problems rather than solutions. The dominant narratives emphasize struggle, need, and hardship—often reinforcing stereotypes instead of highlighting progress.
That’s why Actuality Abroad was founded: to tell stories about local changemakers who are actively solving problems in their communities.
By shifting our focus from challenges to the people leading change, we:
- Inspire Hope – Stories of progress remind us that change is possible.
- Share Solutions – A changemaker’s approach can serve as a model for others facing similar issues.
- Bring Attention + Resources – Many organizations work tirelessly but remain unseen. A well-told documentary helps them gain support.
- Elevate Local Leadership – Instead of centering outsiders, these stories highlight the expertise within the community itself.
- Encourage Ethical Storytelling – When filmmakers collaborate with changemakers, they help reshape the way communities are represented.
Stories shape how we see the world. By centering changemakers, we ensure that the stories we tell don’t just inform—they uplift, empower, and drive action.
Working with Changemakers Gives Us Access to Deeper, More Meaningful Stories
Some of the most important stories aren’t visible from the outside.
If we were to arrive in a new destination and look for stories on our own, we would only see what’s on the surface. But by collaborating with changemakers—people already embedded in their communities—we gain access to deeper truths, untold narratives, and more meaningful perspectives.
For example, in León, Nicaragua, we partnered with a grassroots literacy organization operating a bookmobile bus that brings books to rural communities. At first glance, the story seemed to be about education access—a familiar theme.
But because we worked directly with the organization, we uncovered a more nuanced reality: the real challenge wasn’t just a lack of books, but a generational disconnect from reading itself. Many parents had grown up without literacy, meaning that books weren’t a part of home life.
Without this collaboration, we might have told a surface-level documentary about the importance of book access. Instead, we told a richer story—one that captured how the program wasn’t just delivering books, but reshaping how entire families engaged with reading.
By partnering with changemakers, we tell stories that go beyond observation—stories that reveal real impact and real transformation.
Storytelling As Service: Why We Use Media to Support Changemakers
We don’t just document changemakers—we contribute to their work.
Many of the organizations we collaborate with lack the resources or access to produce professional media that tells their own stories. As social enterprises or nonprofits, every dollar they raise goes into running programs, not marketing.
That’s where we come in.
A well-crafted documentary becomes a tool for changemakers—something they can use for fundraising, outreach, and awareness long after we leave. Our concentrated storytelling efforts during a short trip can create a ripple effect that lasts for years.
For example, during a Documentary Outreach in Guatemala, one of our crews worked with a local cooperative run by Indigenous women who specialize in traditional Mayan weaving. While the beauty of the textiles was immediately apparent, it was through working closely with the women that we discovered the deeper story—this cooperative wasn’t just preserving heritage, it was providing economic independence to women who had few other opportunities.
Through their guidance, we were able to craft a documentary that not only celebrated the artistry of their work but also helped them secure new markets and international recognition. The film became a key asset for the cooperative, allowing them to attract more customers, build stronger partnerships, and sustain their mission beyond our time there.
When storytelling is done with intention, it’s not just about capturing a story—it’s about serving the people in it.
Local Partnerships Ensure Ethical, Trustworthy Storytelling
We don’t show up and start filming. We work with communities, not just in them.
Many stories told by outsiders unintentionally misrepresent local realities. Without cultural context or deep relationships, it’s easy to frame a story in a way that reinforces stereotypes or overlooks key perspectives.
That’s why we collaborate with locally led organizations—they provide:
•Community trust – People are more open to storytelling when it’s facilitated by someone they already know and trust.
•Cultural understanding – Changemakers help us avoid misinterpretations that could come from an outsider’s perspective.
•Deeper relationships – Instead of quick interviews, we engage in meaningful conversations and collaborations.
For example, in Morocco, a crew working with a local organization learned that certain areas of the city were politically sensitive to film in, and that capturing certain imagery could be misinterpreted. This was not something we could have known as outsiders, but by collaborating with local partners, we were able to navigate the situation responsibly and ethically while still telling a powerful story.
Local partnerships ensure that the stories we tell are not only authentic but also useful to the people they’re about.
A Call to Fellow Storytellers
If you’re a documentary filmmaker, journalist, or traveler, ask yourself:
How can my storytelling serve those whose stories I share?
Because when storytelling is done with care, intention, and respect—it doesn’t just document change.
It helps create it.