Kenyan Endorois Youth Unleash Indigenous Voices Through Media
The Endorois Indigenous Women Empowerment Network (EIWEN) from Kenya has successfully concluded a project called 'Indigenous Voices Unleashed'. This initiative, supported by a grant from Cultural Survival’s Indigenous Community Fund, aimed to empower Endorois youth, particularly young women and individuals with disabilities, with media skills for advocacy and cultural preservation.
Historically, Endorois youth have had limited access to media training, platforms, or mentorship, leaving their stories undocumented. EIWEN addressed this exclusion by launching the project in 2024. Between November 2024 and April 2025, EIWEN conducted four media training workshops, providing over 60 young people with storytelling, photography, video production, and digital literacy skills.
The project procured media production equipment and established youth-led communication platforms to amplify Endorois narratives. The training transformed participants' perspectives on media, empowering them to document their lives and engage with Elders and oral traditions. This renewed cultural pride, increased self-expression, and facilitated intergenerational exchange among Endorois youth. The project also enhanced EIWEN's institutional capacity to implement future media-driven projects.
The 'Indigenous Voices Unleashed' project has not only equipped Endorois youth with valuable media skills but has also increased the community's visibility. Stories created by participants were distributed on various platforms, fostering dialogue and combating the underrepresentation and mischaracterization of the Endorois Indigenous community in national media. This project is a significant step towards preserving Endorois culture and advocating for their rights.
