REPACTED

Rapid Effective Participatory Action in Community Theatre Education and Development.
I can see why they needed an acronym.


REPACTED (http://repacted.blogspot.com/) is the first NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) that I will be working with here in Nakuru. Led by the dynamic duo of Collins Odu Oduor and Dennis Kimambo, the group consists of 20 or so highly motivated and highly accomplished young people (ages 18-25, with leaders Odu and Dennis at 27 and 26, respectively) who engage in theatrical outreaches to educate the young people of Nakuru on health issues. While many of these outreaches focus on HIV/AIDS, they also frequently discuss topics such as gender equality, reproductive health, and other STIs. Based out of a small office in the basement of the Nakuru Theater, the group has a multitude of talented performers who take their message to a wide variety of venues, including prisons and schools. Although the group has received grants and support for specific projects from organizations as far reaching as the International Red Cross and MTV, they are nevertheless drastically underfunded. Aside from small honorariums (200 Kenyan Shillings ($3) per visit) to cover travel and eating expenses on the outreaches, no member of the group receives any payment. In fact, the most recent grant from MTV just ran out, and most of the work of the next few months will be done without compensation until another source of funding comes in.

And yet the group continues to put in countless hours every month because they believe in the importance of the work they are doing. They hope that the organization will continue to grow and receive support, and that eventually they will be able to open their own office and begin to employ their members. Until that time, most of the youths will continue to find other innovative ways of supporting themselves. One manufactures bracelets and beads (currently with political messages in light of the upcoming elections (much more on that soon)) and sells them locally with ambitions of selling abroad (those of you in Rhode Island may soon be seeing them at Taylor's Landing Country Store). Another is a partner in a local printing business. And a third volunteers the rest of her time for a Red Cross-sponsored counselling organization (which I will be spending time with later in the month). I can't yet figure out how she generates any income at all.

Despite all of their troubles, the group is going strong. In addition to their vast wealth of knowledge on the societal issues they aim to cure, they all have a passion for performing and for working together to improve their community. In the days to come I will offer much more detail on the work they do and the ways they accomplish their goals.

With apologies for all the parenthesis,
Chris

REPACTED Headqua