We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Angel Mollel a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Angel , appreciate you joining us today. One of our favorite things to hear about is stories around the nicest thing someone has done for someone else – what’s the nicest thing someone has ever done for you?

The kindest thing someone has ever done for me was my adoptive father bringing me to the US. I met him in 2010 in Tanzania. At first, we were strangers, but soon we found joy in each other’s company. From the moment he met me, he took care of me—buying clothes to add to the single pair I owned, taking me to hospitals, feeding me nutritious food to strengthen my weak body, and driving my sister and me everywhere, which was a new experience for us.

After six months in Tanzania, he decided to adopt me and bring me to the US for a better life and education. I left behind 16 siblings, two moms, and one father in 2012 to come to the States. Today, I am a proud University of Colorado graduate, I was the most outstanding senior in high school, and I now work for Fox31, Mollel Productions, and YouthRoots. I also run a nonprofit that benefits the Maasai people of Northern Tanzania.

His single act of kindness shaped not only my future but the future of my entire village.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Photography and storytelling have been my passion since high school. With a camera always in hand, I found joy in capturing people, moments, and cultures. When I went to college, I dove deeper into my creative side, honing my production skills. Over time, I realized photography was more than just taking pictures—it became my way of telling people’s unique stories.

Today, I work as part of the production team at Fox 31 and as a content creator for YouthRoots, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering youth. My role involves managing social media, creating videos, taking photos, and maintaining the website.

In my downtime, I manage two ventures close to my heart:

1. Mollel Productions, my photography and videography business, where I capture life’s special moments—family portraits, graduations, engagements, and more. I love helping clients bring their vision to life.

2. 1 Love, a nonprofit I founded in 2018 to provide education to Maasai children in Tanzania. So far, we’ve educated 14 children, brought clean water to the village of Ormelili, and built vital infrastructure. Our current mission is building a school to ensure all children in the village have access to quality education. We rely on the generosity of individual donors to make these projects possible.

If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen a different profession or specialty?

If I could go back, I would absolutely choose the same path. My journey into photography and storytelling has allowed me to combine creativity with purpose. From capturing moments that people cherish to using my skills to amplify the voices of youth through YouthRoots, I’ve found immense fulfillment.

Additionally, building 1 Love and providing education to Maasai children in Tanzania has been deeply rewarding. I can’t imagine doing anything else, as these experiences have shaped who I am and continue to drive my passion for making a difference.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Growing up in a culture where education for women was often devalued, I saw firsthand how this impacted the lives of women in my family. My mother and the other women around me never had the chance to pursue education, with marriage being the only expected option. I knew I wanted more. Determined to break that cycle, I fought for my right to go to school, convincing my mom to support me in this quest.

This fight wasn’t easy, but it built my resilience. I eventually graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder, defying the limitations set by tradition. That drive to prove that women are equally capable is at the heart of everything I do today—whether it’s through my role at Fox 31, creating content for YouthRoots, or managing Mollel Productions. But perhaps the clearest reflection of this resilience is in 1 Love, the nonprofit I started to help Maasai children in Tanzania, especially girls, access education. I know firsthand how education can change lives and break barriers, and I’m determined to provide that opportunity to others.

That journey, filled with challenges and triumphs, cemented my passion for my work. I wouldn’t change a thing. Every step I’ve taken has shaped me into the person I am, driven by a desire to create change and inspire others to do the same.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mollelproductions.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mollel_productions/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/angelannamollel/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/

Image Credits

1. This is a photo of recent family photoshoot.
2. This is me in Edinburgh, Scotland during my studying abroad in Sevilla, Spain
3. This is my friend Rachel and I at a 1 Love Pickleball Event raising money to build a school.
4. This is my adoptive father and I at graduation this past May from the University of Colorado, Boulder
5. These are some of the 1 Love children that we educate through sponsorships
6. These are my sisters and I who managed to get an education