Well Told Story is a company in Kenya that’s focused on using the media to tackle youth challenges.

There is something about winning the Emmys in Cannes – not to be confused with the American Emmys we all know, but still part of the three related but independent structures that rewards television excellence. Still impressive.

Enough to attract the attention of the Omidyar Network, the impact investment organization that just gave them $1.1 million to further the impact of their work with Kenyans aged under 24.

According to them, Well Told Story is “an innovative, socially-oriented media research and production company based in Kenya and focused on the positive transformation of young people in Africa. In 2015 Well Told Story conducted an in-depth research study to explore the attitudes of young people to governance and democracy in Kenya and answer the question: how might we improve the engagement and participation of Kenyan youth in the activities of devolved government? 

“To answer this question, they spoke to young people all over Kenya to understand what they were thinking and feeling two years after devolution transformed the way government works. Two months of youth-led debates, round-tables, one-on-one interviews and workshops followed across the country, looking at government through the eyes of young people – and at young people through the eyes of government.”

The money is going towards shaping youth discourse on governance and transparency. It focuses also on Shujaaz, a very interesting project over the past few years that uses comics, radio, and social media to drive conversation about these issues. Shujaaz says it currently reaches 56% of Kenya’s 15-24 year olds, or 4.7 million people.

And so this our own message to you, since we assume you work in the media, abi?

As Omidyar gathers its partners across the world for a summit in Madrid this week, you could take a few moments to breathe in deeply and ask yourself with love: what am I doing with my life sha?

YWriter