KCBO-NET and KAPLET final workshops

Abdulaziz and Laura Zack of KCBO-NET

Our  current project with Youth Alive! Kenya ended with two workshops in January by KCBO-NET in Pumwani and KAPLET in Kayole, both suburbs of Nairobi, Kenya. I visited both organisations in February.

KCBO-NET (Kamukunji Community Based Network) arranged the 3-day workshop in the premises of Pumwani Child Survival School in the midst of a poor area. The participants were all members of partner organisations working in the area. The subjects of the comics were community issues, such as sanitation, education, corruption. Some of the participants commented on the use of grassroots comics:

Laura Zack (volunteer) - Comics come out much stronger than just penning. All in all, the community members appreciated the comics very much when we put them up at the Pumwani Social Hall.

Amateshe Ananzwa (volunteer) - It was a privilege to participate in the workshop. What struck me was that it is much you can say  with comics without risk, because you are not naming names. It is a harmless way of communication, but still very strong.

David Odhambo (KCBO-NET Secretary General) - This new method has definitively elevated our advocacy level.

Below a sample comic  from the workshop, by Laura Zack, on the issue of  young girls being taken to the city under the pretense of getting education, but ending up to work as maids. 

KAPLET workshop participants paste up their comics amongst torn election posters in Kayole.

KAPLET (Kamukunji Paralegal Trust) had a 3-day workshop in their new premises in Kayole. The comics were distributed in their new neighbourhood and created a lot of debate in the street.

Dan Owalla, who led the workshop, said: - The community response was very positive and the day we were out in the community served as an additional awareness reminder for KAPLET to continue using comics.

- Comics as a communication medium works remarkably well in remote areas, the experience we had of a workshop in Garissa in the far North of Kenya, proved that for us, said Erick Otieno (KAPLET Secretary General).

Maryam Ali Famah made the above comic about KAPLET intervening in an inheritance case.

Michael Oduor (left) one of the facilitators at the workshop busy distributing the wallposter comics.

Youth Alive! Kenya staff, Jackie Mathenge (left) and Joan Kariuki looking at the comics in YAK's office.

Post by Leif Packalen