Late last year, Safaricom aired a show dubbed Safari Ya Wasanii on their YouTube channel and also on NTV. The show followed the stories of Kenyan artists, how far they have come, and the support they have received to get them to where they are today.
I’ve always known that Safaricom is big on the arts and that it has played a huge role in the development of the entertainment industry. But the consolidation of these stories into just two shows brought home the reality of just how much.
My very easy favourite is Safaricom Jazz because other than the concerts themselves, Safaricom Jazz is attached to the very beautiful story that is Ghetto Classics. A powerful community empowerment project that nurtures musical talent in several informal sectors in the country, the biggest of them being Korogocho which is where it all begun.
Ghetto Classics not only offers the feel of family to the disadvantaged kids who come to play in Korogocho where it is based, but also cushions them from the vagaries of slum life and what it can mean to their future. Founded by Elizabeth Njoroge, Ghetto classics is very dear to my heart because I have interacted with the kids quite a lot.
To get a glimpse of just how uplifting the Ghetto Classics program is, check this story here and another one here.
That is not to say that Safaricom has been any less active in other areas of entertainment.
Remember Groove Awards? A Safaricom initiative that recognized and celebrated the Gospel music industry in the country. The awards also helped fans to discover new musicians that they may not have known before, as well as to offer support for their favourite ones.
Safaricom’s contribution to the entertainment industry is so huge that it would be difficult to capture in one article. But as mentioned earlier, this has been captured and consolidated in a summarized manner. You can watch these videos on Safaricom’s YouTube channel. They’re in part one and two.
Music is the core of who we are and it is good to see it being appreciated, and even better to see artistes making a living out of their art. This was certainly not the case before.
