The former Rising Voices grantee REPACTED trained displaced Kenyans (during the 2007 election violence) living in the camps how to tell their own stories online so that their ordeal is not forgotten. They use magnet theater to sensitize and mobilize people and induce behavioral change on certain issues like AIDS. According to a retrospective post in their blog:

More than 1,200 Kenyans reportedly killed, thousands more injured and over 300,000 people displaced and around 42,000 houses and many businesses ending up being looted or destroyed, Bombing, abductions and killing of innocent people by the ragtag militia called Al-shabab kind of became a daily phenomena thereby leading Kenya to taking radical decision in trying to wipe out and end this menace of the al-shabab.

Kenyan men brandish their weapons after Kenya's questionable December 2007 election. Image by Daniel McCabe. Copyright Demotix

This year Kenya's next election will be held. Political stability can steady Kenya's turbulent growth. REPACTED (Rapid Effective Participatory Action in community Theater Education and Development) is now on a mission to make Kenyans learn from the past and not to repeat the same mistakes:

REPACTED has in last few months been engaged in civic education program dubbed ”TUFANYE SOTE BIDII NDIO WAJIBU WETU” a line borrowed from the Kenyan national anthem. The sole aim of the program which is being funded by UNDP Amkeni Wa Kenya is to sensitize Kenyans on their role and holistic participation in constitutional matters pertaining to DEVOLUTION. REPACTED intends to make sure that by the time Kenyans will be going to the ballot box they will have been empowered constitutionally.

Image courtesy REPACTED

Last April, REPACTED hosted a beauty pageant for the high school students of Kenya to provide them a forum to enable them discuss issues affecting their sexual lives. The theme of the event was “Using beauty as a source of inspiration towards behavioral change”.

You can get more updates in their blog and Facebook account.