Watch the Testominal Video
Paul
Savannah Education Trust
Savannah Education Trust
BACKGROUND
Savannah Education Trust approached Copperwheat Media to help them find a clearer, more consistent way to communicate who they are and what they do. As the charity marks its 20th anniversary, they wanted to reach new audiences while also strengthening engagement with existing supporters.
The Trust is frequently invited to speak at events, churches, schools, and community gatherings, where they are asked to explain their work and inspire continued support. Relying solely on spoken presentations can be challenging — especially when trying to describe the realities of life in northern Ghana. The sights, sounds, and stories are difficult to convey through words alone.
Video offered a powerful solution: a way to tell these stories vividly, reduce the pressure on trustees who often deliver talks, and share the experiences of teachers, parents, and students in Ghana directly, rather than solely through UK-based representatives.
THE CHALLENGE
Savannah Education Trust undertakes a wide range of work, and its aims and activities have grown significantly over the past two decades. Their supporters are equally varied, with each group emotionally invested for different reasons — humanitarian, educational, or faith-based.
One of the key challenges the trustees faced was identifying their core messages and determining how best to communicate them to multiple audiences with different priorities. The breadth of their work made it difficult to know what to highlight, what to simplify, and how to create a story that felt unified and clear.
Because of this diversity — both in their work and in their audiences — creating a single video that captured everything and resonated with everyone would have been extremely difficult.
How we helped
To address this, we moved away from the idea of producing one catch-all film and instead developed a comprehensive suite of videos. This approach gave Savannah Education Trust the ability to speak directly to each of its supporter groups, using content tailored to their interests — whether humanitarian, educational, or faith-based. It also provided the flexibility to select the right film for the right moment, from fundraising events to school partnerships and church presentations.
In total, we produced ten videos, each focused on a specific aspect of the Trust’s work, as well as several broader overview films that bring the whole story together. As part of the process, we wrote the scripts and helped craft the overarching narrative. Having an external team shape the story proved especially valuable; as one member of the Trust noted, being so close to the day-to-day work can leave you “stuck in the weeds.” An outside perspective helped clarify the key messages, define the bigger picture, and communicate the Trust’s impact in a way that feels accessible and compelling to all audiences.
To ensure depth and authenticity, we travelled to Ghana twice. We worked alongside the local staff, visiting remote schools, meeting families, and spending time with students, teachers, and community members. These trips gave us first-hand insight into both the challenges and the remarkable progress being made. It was a substantial undertaking — logistically, creatively, and emotionally — but an immensely rewarding one. Being on the ground allowed us to tell the Trust’s story with honesty, warmth, and a genuine human connection, resulting in a suite of films that truly reflects the breadth and heart of their mission.