Kenya

Kenya – Kisumu County

In Kenya we are working in rural areas located to either side of the main road running thorough the country from the ocean into Uganda. Our study area is in western Kenya, not too far from the major western city, Kisumu, and between the two small towns of Ahero and Awasi. As in Uganda we are building on pre-existing connections as we have previously worked on a number of arts-based social impact projects in dozens of small villages in the area, mostly looking at issues around sexual and reproductive health, gender (in)equalities, maternity services and mental health.

The people in this area are almost all Luo, speaking Dhulou and proud of their cultural, social and political heritage. Most farm small plots for subsistence purposes, but these are seldom large enough to provide a living so men in particular often travel into the towns looking for work, and sometimes go to the major cities, leaving families for months at a time as they look for sources of income. Life is hard for many in these villages, although there are notable discrepancies of wealth. There is a lack of clean water sources and families struggle to keep their children in school.

Community Work in Kenya

In Kenya we are focusing our community work in two villages, Kagaga and Osiri, both located down some miles of dirt tracks off the main road linking the towns of Ahero and Awasi. In Uganda, working out of an urban centre we could bring people together in one community centre. Since our project is rural based in Kenya this option was not available, so we decided to work with these two communities we already knew from previous linked projects. Kagaga has the advantage of a pre-existing community hall, something not currently available in Osiri where our work takes place in the open air.

Both villages were consulted as to what sporting, arts and educational activities they wanted us to support. Both already had strong football teams but could not afford kit so that has been provided. Football is a male preserve in these communities but women play volleyball and netball, so for these groups to we gave team kit.

In terms of art we had previously experimented with a community theatre group which had been popular, so this has continued in both sites and to it we have added community choirs and more recently a contemporary dance programme. As in Uganda these weekly sessions are open to all, while in the school holidays we run more intensive programmes just for teenagers.

 

The dance group in Kagaga Village led by Pretty

 

Choir performing at Kagaga Village Centre led by Joel