SNV and Water Aid identified a ‘data gap’ on water points and their functionality in rural Kenya, and found that no Water Service Board (WSB) could provide information on the rural networks and point sources within their areas of operation. In response to this, the two organisations initiated a dialogue between national sector institutions (Water Services Regulatory Board and Water Services  Trust Fund) and decentralized institutions (Water Services Board) concerning the need for a comprehensive ‘Rural water Supply and Sanitation (RWSS) monitoring framework’. To enable sector institutions to understand and internalize the Water Point Mapping concept, as a step to begin addressing the identified ‘data gap’, Water Aid and SNV, with the agreement of the involved water sector institutions, are undertaking a short term action dubbed ‘Piloting and Scaling-up of Water Point Mapping in Kenya’, with partial support from Twaweza.

Language used, actions and attire of characters are done in a manner that safeguards religious norms and democratic values, is inclusive of all faiths and does not cause offense. Emphasis is on holding current leaders accountable, electing good leaders during elections, and on agency and responsibility on the part of citizens; rather than just only “complaining” about their leaders.

XYZ is a political satire that Godfrey Mwapembwa a.k.a Gado, an acclaimed cartoonist, created for the Kenyan market after a 2003 trip to Paris where he visited the set of ‘’Les Guignols de l’Info’ or the ‘News Puppets’. Les Guignols, just like XYZ, is a spoof newscast featuring latex puppets. To Gado it was obvious that the same concept would not only be a huge success in Kenya, but could also have an important social impact by exposing, with humor, the rampant corruption and mismanagement in the country. Since 2004, the set of XYZ has had a great number of sculptures modelled after top Kenyan politicians, as well as ordinary wananchi.

Africanism 101 blends sharp research with a satirical style of presenting difficult situations, without diluting their significance in the lives of Kenyan people. Tapping from the runaway success of Michael Moore’s style, the show is likely to be an important trigger for incisive debate on some of the topics it sets out to address.

Resulting documentaries, while poking fun, show the need for public action to steer change. The analysis and the proposed actions are articulate about negative ethnicity, official corruption, impunity and a captive state in the hands of powerful elites, when explaining lack of government accountability. The films also highlight the lack of adequate citizen engagement in facing official failure, as a factor which contributes to the persistence of the core problems, corruption and impunity.

The partnership terms are such that Twaweza provides the media house with independent tips, studies and data, and links to credible sources of information. The media house uses these where it fits with editorial standards but is under no obligation to use them. The content of the programs cover issues of topical interest that matter to citizens. Twaweza’s funding amount varies with the level of improvements measured against mutually agreed targets; the better the media house does, the more funding it receives, up to a maximum amount. The idea is to both enable and ‘nudge’ the media house personnel to make the necessary changes to improve quality, where at times significant changes can be achieved with relatively small tweaks in approach and sharper supervision. The broadcasters also carry Twaweza’s public service announcements (PSAs), such as the Ni Sisi spots that draw on advertising techniques and humour to engage the public on serious service delivery, public accountability and citizen action issues.

Because of its wider reach, emphasis was placed on electronic media (radio and TV).In Tanzania, partnerships were agreed with Sahara Communications (number one in radio, number three in TV), and discussions were underway with two other groups. In Kenya partners included Royal Media Services (the largest media conglomerate with 9+ radio and 2 TV stations) and the Nation Media Group (East Africa’s leading media company). Combined, these three media houses likely reach over 25 million citizens every day.

Because this partnership approach is unusual, it has taken longer than anticipated for media partners to ‘absorb’ the concept fully and for both parties to work out effective working relationships. Course corrections have been made during implementation, including spending more time to orient media house program staff, establishing better information sharing mechanisms, and clarifying monitoring tools. While challenges remain, already there is clear evidence that several thousand hours of programming time have been improved, and that the level of coverage is steadily expanding each quarter. Creativity has increased in several cases. Information is better sourced and more evidence based. A greater diversity of opinion is broadcast. Importantly, we sense that we are beginning to influence a more quality conscious style of program development and management within media, though more time is needed to confirm this.

In going forward with the large media partnerships, we will need to set up a better mechanism of brokering information and data, and at times working to make it more accessible (it is not as easy as sending the report or introducing media to a researcher). The independent and systematic verification of progress will also need to be strengthened. A new frontier to be explored involves supporting partners to improve the web content and synergies across media platforms.

While the primary focus was on electronic media, newspapers were also supported. Notably, Twaweza’s Uwazi unit provided interesting comparative pairs of facts that were published daily on page 2 of The Citizen and Mwananchi newspapers in Tanzania, and a similar arrangement is being explored with The Star in Kenya. These and other papers were also provided with news tips, often from our engagement with research and policy bodies, that led to the publication of at least 30 stories, often on the front page.

Twaweza has partnered with Mediae to produce Season 11 of Makutano Junction, where 9 out of the 13 episodes will focus on Twaweza themes of citizens getting information, sparking the imagination about what is possible, and making a practical difference. The material was developed in 2010, informed by extensive research and engagement with Twaweza, and broadcast in early 2011.

In addition to the TV broadcast, popular pamphlets have been developed for each theme and are sent out on request. A mobile phone sms platform for feedback is also established, and the information is used to both evaluate the work and inform future programming. Throughout season 11, Makutano Junction will communicate the idea that ordinary citizens can make change happen, despite constraints, challenges, and setbacks – by solving problems and pressuring government and public institutions to do the right things.

The goal is that by watching this show citizens will be provoked to discuss solutions to their challenges in basic education, health and water and take action for the better. Where public authorities are not doing the right things, informed citizens will use their imagination to find positive ways of holding relevant service providers or public leaders accountable, like the characters in the show.

You can read up on the project at the Media for Education and Development website and watch videos on Makutano Junction.

The platform was created in response to an urgent need to connect over 30 million Kenyans aged less than 30 years with ideas and opportunities that create employment, generate income, protect fragile livelihoods and environments, and help them to engage with governance and service delivery in constructive, democratic ways.

Since onset, ShujaazFM has been communicating back and forward with young Kenyans on an unequalled scale using multiple, interconnecting popular media. Up to 600,000 comics are developed, produced and distributed each month. The issues in the comics are discussed in short 5-7 minute segments on at least 17 different radio stations daily. In turn through this media young people are encouraged to send their views, and on average over 2,000 short messages (SMSs) are received each month and used to inform future programming. Social media contacts on the ShujaazFM Facebook page and the ShujaazFM Twitter page have also been cultivated. Together, this media ecology constitutes the largest youth engagement initiative in Kenya today.

Along the way ShujaazFM has built a team of very talented young writers, artists, designers and producers. And it has advanced the ideas and information of a set of visionary partners that are helping to transform the futures of Kenyan youth. Among these partners perhaps the most important and supportive has been Twaweza.

An independent survey confirmed that ShujaazFM touched the lives of 15 million Kenyans in its first six months. The goal now is to increase that number further, while finding ever more ways to deepen the positive impact this unique multi-media channel is having on life for young Kenyans.

Between 2011 and 2013, WTS will continue to work closely with Twaweza and its partners to ensure that the goals, concerns and innovations it supports to advance young Kenyans are further amplified and projected to the lives of at least 20 million young people, in practical and inspiring ways that lead to lasting change.

To achieve this, WTS will grow and extend ShujaazFM to nurture an ever-larger audience of engaged and motivated youth. New innovations, such as developing animated cartoons for TV, are being tested. Expansion into Tanzania and Uganda will also be explored. WTS will ensure that this huge audience of dedicated young “heroes” is able to follow, access and, participate in the large scale social transformations that Twaweza stands for.

For news coverage see, visit articles on CNN and KenyaVibe. Watch a YouTube clip on how comics can be animated for TV.