Telley puts experience to good use

By Hans

With a pregnant wife to take care of Telley Savala Otieno tried to find a job at the Cinecitta Rome Film Industry in Rome without success. Once again language proved a major obstacle.

After a while his in-laws got worried and ordered them to return to Sardinia. Telley later got a job as a grape picker with other immigrants from Nigeria, Senegal and poor Italians. Meanwhile on the marriage front, things were not working out. The wife lost the child and eventually they separated.

He moved back to Milan alone with only a few euros in his pocket. Jobless, homeless, without friends and still unable to speak Italian Telley seemed doomed. He stayed at Caritas a charity place for the homeless and was given shelter and food.

He finally managed to get a job as a delivery boy for Armani fashion house where he earned 1,500 euros. With a rent of 800 euros and food expenses there was nothing much he could do. He later met an Israeli woman from New York but living in Italy. She was working as a forgery artist, copier of famous master paintings and selling them for a lot of money.

Telly Savalas in his hey days.

Things brightened up for a while for Telley until the police started investigating her. She went underground living him on the streets again.

Telley juggled many menial jobs. He doubled up as an in-house painter, English teacher, disc jockey and a tour guide. He stayed at a derelict house, with other nationalities majority of whom had no work permits.

Telley managed to make a documentary about the plight of illegal immigrants with financial help from a famous photographer.early life

The documentary was nominated and got an award at the Milan African Film Festival with a prize money of 3,000 euros. He used this money to return back home in 2009 to start a new life. He came to Watamu at the coast and met another woman with whom they lived together. It was a relaxing time with enough money to spend. This all ended with a car accident after a drinking spree, which left him with an injured leg.

Again with no money and no job, but with a determination to succeed, Telley decided to put his film and modeling experience in use for the younger generation. Today he is involved with Malindi Educational Development Agency (MEDA) an organisation helping young talented people to keep off the street and drugs.

no regrets

He is co-directing a movie called Fate, which is now being edited, made with little funds from well-wishers.

Telley has no regrets, he still loves his drink, but has a roof over his head and proposals for work in the Kenyan film industry.

Not big money yet, but the last ten years have been a survival session and lesson’s in life not easy to be forgotten.