Acting for Change: How Youth in Northern Kenya are Using Theatre to Break the Silence on Gender Violence

In the arid expanses of Northern Kenya, deep-rooted cultural norms often dictate the pace of social change. To address this, a new narrative is being written. Echo Network Africa Foundation (ENAF) launched a critical phase of the Kuza Jamii II program. The initiative has deployed 357 youth leaders to champion Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) through the transformative power of the arts.

Funded by the British High Commission (FCDO) and implemented by a consortium led by Village Enterprise, Kuza Jamii II is a £7 million initiative designed to graduate households out of extreme poverty. However, sustainable economic resilience is impossible without social equity. ENAF has operationalized a “social graduation” model to address this need. We are equipping local youth groups with the Gender Action Learning System (GALS) methodology to dismantle barriers such as Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and early marriage.

The Strategy: Behavioral Change through Performance

Traditional sensitization methods often struggle to penetrate the social fabric of conservative communities. Lectures and town halls can feel confrontational or abstract. To bridge this gap, ENAF has pivoted to a community-led arts approach.

Following an intensive training workshop held last month, youth groups have been upskilled in script development and theatrical performance. These groups are already trusted entertainers within their wards and are now serving as tactical agents of change.

Pius Lokuru, a community leader from Korr in Marsabit, explains that the visual and emotional nature of drama bypasses defensiveness and sparks dialogue.

“A message delivered through performance lands differently than a lecture,” Lokuru observes. “When the community watches a drama, they act as if they are seeing their own reality reflected back at them. That is when the real message sinks in.” 

Case Study: From Bystander to Defender

The impact of this capacity building is already evident in the confidence of the participants. Catherine Bulyar, a youth leader with the Napoki Group in Karare Ward, describes the program as a turning point for women’s agency in her region.

Previously, Catherine notes, a culture of silence surrounded domestic violence. Interventions were rare and fear was the dominant response. However, the ENAF training has equipped her with both the language and the courage to act.

“Words alone often fail to provoke action, but performance demands attention,” Catherine asserts. “We are using action to drive change. Since the training, I have already intervened in cases of domestic violence and child abuse that would have previously gone unreported. I no longer feel helpless. If I see injustice, I know the protocol and I will report it.” 

Institutionalizing Referral Pathways

A key component of the training involved demystifying the reporting process for GBV. In Isiolo, Deka Ali of the Chimchim Youth Group highlights how the program clarified the often-confusing referral pathways for Gender-Based Violence cases.

Deka Ali (Centre) with her youth group members

Deka emphasizes that the training dismantled the harmful “private family matter” myth that often shields perpetrators.

“We used to witness conflict and dismiss it as a private household issue,” Deka admits. “That has changed. We now understand that we share the burden of our community’s well-being. Crucially, we learned that we don’t need to be investigators. Our role is to identify the breach and safely link victims to the authorities.” 

Scaling for Impact

This initiative is part of a broader regional rollout. ENAF has trained 20 youth groups across Garissa, Isiolo, Mandera, Marsabit, and Tana River. The program targets a reach of over 23,000 community members who are not direct recipients of economic grants.

These groups are moving from rehearsal spaces to public performances to create safe, inclusive forums for intergenerational dialogue. ENAF is embedding GESI principles into local entertainment to ensure that the economic gains of Kuza Jamii II are protected by a more inclusive and equitable social environment.