Donation: EUR 6,000 (12-06-2015)
Country: Kenya
Project: Voices of Africa Media Foundation

The funding of €4,000 supported the recruitment of two Co-Managing Directors of the Nairobi Community Media House (NCMH). Recruitment was necessary to increase networking, business development and media sales. Both directors started in Q4 of 2013.

NCMH was a start up company and was close to breakeven and was set up as a limited company under Kenyan law in July 2011. 50% of the shares are owned by the Dutch based Voices of Africa Media Foundation. The other half of the shares are partly owned by the managing directors and partly by the current staff.

Its mission is to empower young reporters to become the voice of the community and to contribute to the living standards in informal settlements. NCMH helps youngsters from the slums to build up a career in the production of filmed content and supports them to obtain a sustainable source of income so that they can support their families.

NCMH‘s derived revenues from international as well as local clients. An important revenue stream for them was the production of TV formats. NCMH revenues for the year 2013 were budgeted at Ksh 6,000,000 and at that level the company broke even. The goal was to double revenues each year from 2014 onwards.

NCMH introduced four profit centres, each headed by a manager.

  1. C&C (Ceremonies & Celebrations) department
  2. Slum Productions
  3. TV & Documentaries
  4. Bunge Mtaani (monthly screenings in various slums)

In 2015 NCMH employed eleven staff and a few interns, trained in scriptwriting, camerawork, sound an editing. NCMH has been producing a series as the African Slum Journal, nearing its 60th episode. It uses high quality film and editing equipment and the production qualities are impressive. The commercial (selling) and managerial skills could be better.

The new MD was to professionalize the operation (both internally and towards - future- clients) and to increase the revenue levels.

Name organization

Nairobi Community Media House

Contact person

Pim de Wit

Address

Julianastraat 30,

2012 ES Haarlem

Country

The Netherlands

Website

www.voamf.org

E-mail

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Telephone

+ 31 23 5428366


camBobenup – a slump soap series

Bobenup! is a catchy phrase derived from the three words “bob and up,” inspired by the average slum dwellers who earn about ksh. 200,- (2USD) a day to urge them to find a way to increase their earnings.

Bobenup! was the name of a new inspiring television (soap) series empowering low-income earners, to help them to make choices to create better lives. Five items were produced.

The story setting was Nairobi’s informal settlements. The locations hold a potential of stories that emerge from the people who aspire to develop themselves. Bobenup!, aimed to give to Kenyan people role models to improve their lives and the realization that they can be the change they want and to escape poverty!

Name organisation

Bobenup - Nairobi Community Media House

Contact person

 

Address

Office address:
Old Donholm 2nd Court House 75
P.O. Box 36655 – 00200, Nairobi

Country

Kenya

Website

www.ncmh.or.ke
www.africanslumjournal.com

E-mail

 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Telephone

+254 720 973 736 | +254 702 272 564