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Supporting Kenya’s Next Generation to Rewrite the Rules.

Young Kenyans are rewriting the rules that no longer serve them. Surround Sound Kenya shifts social norms around relationships, opportunity, and wellbeing — using stories, peers, and institutions to shape the future they want.

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Young Kenyans laughing together at a Surround Sound Kenya session

Gen Zs only fear 3 things:

Marriage, Pregnancy &

Data Running Out!

Two young women at a Surround Sound Kenya event

About Us

Surround Sound Kenya is an ambitious five-year national programme delivered by Shujaaz Inc, Shuga Global and PATH Kenya.

Bringing together powerful youth media, peer networks, community engagement and research, it shifts the norms shaping how young people navigate relationships, health, opportunity and identity.

Shujaaz IncShuga GlobalPATH

The Key Pillars

Driving Change

Two young women smiling during a session
A young woman presenting in front of sticky notes

Storytelling

At the heart of the programme is a storytelling engine powered by Shujaaz and Shuga — two of Africa’s most trusted youth media brands.

  • Shuga Global (globally connected, with the pan-African Shuga Global drama distributed across 52 countries in sub-Saharan Africa)
  • Shujaaz Inc (unparalleled national reach and youth-led grassroots networks across Kenya)

A National Storytelling Ecosystem

  • Nationwide distribution across multiple media channels.

Stories distributed through:

Television
Comics
Radio
Digital & social
Chatbots
Young men talking into a Shujaaz microphone

Community Level Youth Engagement

Surround Sound Kenya extends storytelling into real life, turning audiences into active participants through youth leaders, CBOs and informal youth groups.

    A Nationwide Activation Layer

    • 90%+ of participants reported increased confidence discussing sex, contraception, and relationships after the course
    • 4,300+ youth directly engaged through peer-led courses to date
    • 72 trained peer leaders in Nairobi, Nakuru and Siaya running course

    Activation happens through:

    • Peer-led discussions
    • Community forums & events
    • School & campus engagement
    • Local partnerships & youth initiatives
    • Last-mile service provider partnerships
    A community session participant

    Norm Holder Engagement

    The programme engages parents, teachers, caregivers, faith leaders and local government so new ideas are reinforced in everyday life.

    • Parents & caregivers
    • Faith leaders & elders
    • Teachers & mentors

    Norms are reinforced through:

    • Family conversations & guidance
    • Faith-based discussions
    • Inter-generational dialogue
    • Community dialogue forums
    A student writing reflections on a whiteboard

    Learning & Evidence

    Surround Sound Kenya captures insights, generates evidence and shapes how youth programmes are designed and delivered.

    • Behavioural Insights
    • Audience feedback
    • Evidence building
    • Knowledge sharing

    Learning is activated through:

    • Research & data analysis
    • Reports
    • Briefs
    • Independent Evaluation

    Impact at Scale

    In partnership with Mathematica, RTI and Fraym, Surround Sound Kenya leverages multiple data-sources to track the reach, engagement and impact of the programme, generating learnings into what it takes to drive population-level, lasting gender normative change -through the power of media.

    4.2 million

    15–24 year olds reached through our media platforms to date

    55%

    Exposed to SSK in the past year across Kenya

    47%

    AGYM reached every month

    2.4 million

    Followers across digital channels

    SEE OUR IMPACT
    Four young people taking a selfie together at a Surround Sound Kenya session

    At this scale:

    Operating at this scale, Surround Sound Kenya is reaching the tipping point where healthier norms become visible, reinforced and socially accepted.

    Partners Driving Change for Kenya’s Next Generation

    Surround Sound Kenya is built through collaboration between media organisations, research institutions, funders and private sector partners.

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    A PATH partner speaking animatedly at a Surround Sound Kenya event

    Our Partners

    Gates Foundation
    Co-Impact
    Imaginable Futures
    Echidna Giving
    Wellspring Philanthropic Fund
    Gates Foundation
    Co-Impact
    Imaginable Futures
    Echidna Giving
    Wellspring Philanthropic Fund

    Testimonials

    Proven Results, Real Impact

    Among girls my age in my family, I am the only one who does not have a child. When my cousin got pregnant at the age of 14, I felt like, no, this has to stop in my family.