In Narok County, young people have historically remained on the margins of conversations regarding their own health and well-being, with critical discussions on sexual and reproductive health (SRH), gender equality, and harmful cultural practices often occurring without their meaningful participation.
To bridge this gap, the IMARA Project, funded by Italy through AICS and implemented by WeWorld and consortium partners, launched an immersive workshop titled Power 4 Youth Days initiative across Narok North, Narok South, Narok East, and Narok Central sub-counties. This program empowered Adolescent Council cohorts to transform their lived experiences into compelling advocacy content through five-day workshops focused on radio, video, and photography.
By providing hands-on experience, the project ensures that youth are no longer just subjects of community conversations, but active leaders and storytellers shaping the narratives that drive social change.
The foundation of the creative work was built upon four key thematic areas: challenging gender-based violence (GBV) and deep-rooted gender biases, addressing the persistence of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and child marriage, framing menstrual health as a social justice issue, and exploring how education can shift intergenerational attitudes toward gender. These themes served as the creative pulse for the “story mining” and brainstorming sessions, where participants identified strong advocacy messages within their own community stories.
The transition from theory to active production saw participants taking on professional roles as directors, camera operators, presenters, and sound technicians.
In the video and photography tracks, adolescents mastered framing, lighting, and symbolic storytelling, even using artistic techniques such as collage and beads to enhance their visual narratives. Meanwhile, the radio sessions focused on building vocal confidence, with youth practicing breathing techniques and voice projection before recording their scripts in a mini-studio environment.
Each workshop culminated in a Final Youth Media Showcase, where participants presented their edited radio spots, photographs, and short films - tangible outputs that amplified their voices and reflected their newly acquired technical skills.
For many participants, the experience was transformative.
“When we watched our final video during the showcase, I honestly could not believe we had created it ourselves. At the beginning I did not even know how to hold the camera properly. Seeing our story on screen made me realise that young people like us can actually create something powerful for our community,” shared one participant.
The workshops also created space for young people to reflect on their own beliefs and attitudes.
“Before this training, I used to think that issues like menstrual pads were only for girls and not something boys should talk about. But after the discussions and working together in the group, I now understand that menstrual health affects everyone. Supporting girls and learning about these issues is important for respect and equality,” another participant reflected. Through initiatives like Power 4 Youth Days, the IMARA Project is helping ensure that adolescents in Narok County are not only gaining technical media skills but also challenging harmful norms, building empathy, and becoming confident advocates for change within their communities.
