Safaricom Puts Kisumu Youth and Creativity in the Spotlight
The Fishermen Experience in Kisumu brought together young creatives, artists and fans for three days of learning, entertainment and celebration of Kenyan talent.
The event kicked off with two days of creative and civic engagements before culminating in a major concert at Mamboleo Stadium on Saturday.
Young Creatives Learn How to Turn Talent Into Opportunity
Wednesday focused on the business side of creativity, giving artists and other industry players practical lessons on how to build sustainable careers.
The masterclasses covered financial literacy, managing irregular income, tax, investment, personal branding, digital music and ways to monetize creative work.
Participants also learnt about accessing credit and funding to help grow their creative businesses and projects.
For many young creatives, turning talent into a career requires more than being good at what they do. Understanding money, building a brand and knowing how to manage the business side can make a big difference.
From Creative Rights to Civic Participation
The conversations continued on Thursday, this time focusing on rights and civic engagement.
Young people discussed constitutional rights, freedom of expression, copyright, fair contracts and participation in governance. Voter education was also part of the sessions, encouraging creatives to use their influence beyond entertainment and take part in shaping their communities.
Safaricom Director, Brand, Marketing and Insights, Zizwe Awuor, said the company sees young people and the creative industry as an important force for bringing Kenyans together.
“We believe in the power of young people and the creative industry to bring Kenyans together,” Awuor said, adding that the company’s support goes beyond performances to helping young creatives develop their skills and turn their passion into opportunities.
Then Kisumu Turned Up for the Music
After two days of learning and conversations, the mood shifted on Saturday as Mamboleo Stadium came alive for the main concert.
Artists, fans and the wider Kisumu community gathered to enjoy Kenyan music and celebrate youth culture.
The event also showed how mobile payments continue to play a role behind the scenes at live events. Traders and businesses at the venue could use Pochi la Biashara and M-PESA tills to receive payments, allowing fans to buy goods and services conveniently as they enjoyed the performances.
For the audience, however, the biggest attraction was the music.
The performances created an opportunity for artists to connect directly with their fans while giving the Kisumu crowd a chance to celebrate homegrown talent.
“The experience was exciting because it brought people together and gave us a chance to enjoy Kenyan music and our own artists,” said Collins Ochieng. “It was good to see so much energy from the young people and to be part of an event that celebrated our culture.”
A Bigger Push for Kenya’s Creative Economy
The Fishermen Experience is part of Safaricom’s wider efforts to support the country’s creative industry.
The company has also been taking its Hook Music Hip Hop regional auditions to different parts of the country, including Kakamega, Embu and Kisumu.
The auditions give upcoming rappers, singers, dancers, actors, MCs and songwriters opportunities to sharpen their skills, gain exposure and connect with the industry.
From learning how to manage creative income and protect intellectual property to performing in front of thousands of fans, the Kisumu experience showed the many sides of building a career in the creative space.
For the young people involved, it was not just about putting on a show. It was about learning, finding opportunities, expressing themselves and using creativity to make their mark.
