The Makutano Junction drama series (which, as of January 2009, consists of eight 13-part series) aims to use accessible storylines that deal with issues affecting rural and peri-urban communities. It deals with malaria prevention, safe sex, parental involvement in schools, and issues affecting rural livelihoods related to agriculture and livestock. The edutainment series includes many storylines: the story of Nancy and Karris, a warring couple who love one another passionately; Karis, an unreliable ladies' man; a teacher named Rose, who is the mother of four difficult adolescents; Doctor Charles, the new arrival in the neighbourhood; as well as gossiping market women, adulterous businessmen, and more. In the first series, two characters die from malaria; in the second series, a pregnant character discusses the need for preventive measures with a doctor, whilst another character is diagnosed with malaria after selling a mosquito net to pay debts.

One of the objectives of the series was to provide an opportunity to build capacity in Kenya for producing sustainable, high-quality, low-cost TV series. The production company, Mediae, therefore recruited and trained a local team of writers, film crew, and actors to make the soap opera series. The project also aimed to ensure that the local crew got access to leading industry professionals. As a result, the production values, storyline, and acting were developed with input from the director of the award-winning United Kingdom (UK) soap EastEnders.

Another objective of the television series is to assess the impact that television can have on viewers' livelihoods in rural and peri-urban areas. Mediae aims to conduct a national baseline survey in Kenya, against which they will compare results of a follow-up survey, to be conducted after programme transmission. Mediae will also run a series of focus group discussion to get in-depth responses to the programmes themselves.

The series also has its own website. The site contains profiles of characters, a discussion forum, and updates on what happened in each episode. It also provides information on some of the major issues covered in the series, such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, orphans, and leadership. In addition, one may access the comics produced as a complement to the show. Depicting characters in the TV programmes, free printed leaflets are distributed throughout Kenya each week for those who require more information on topics such as sexual abuse, adult education, and corporal punishment in schools.

Programmes are supported by a short messaging service (SMS) facility, where viewers are invited to text in if they need more information on a given topic. As of January 2009, Mediae had received 30,000 texts in the course of the previous year. Audience research has been on-going over the last three years and shows that such a medium is highly effective at communicating useful and relevant information to rural and peri-urban audiences, as well as being effective at changing attitude and practice.

An additional component to Makutano Junction is the piloting and development of a children's television programme, which aims to promote numeracy, literacy, and life skills for 9-11 year olds. Transmission of "The KnowZone" begins in Kenya in January 2009. Mediae linked with London's Institute of Education to research the efficacy, popularity, and potential of such a medium in promoting education for children.

Health, Natural Resource Management, Education.

The programme was developed as a result of research conducted for the UK Department for International Development (DFID) by partners to investigate different ways to spread messages about issues in rural livelihoods in East Africa.

Organisers indicated in January 2009 that Makutano Junction reaches a regular audience of 7 million viewers in Kenya alone, broadcasting through the Kenya Broadcast Corporation (KBC). The first 13-part series was broadcast in Kenya between October and December 2005. Filming for the second series began in early in 2006 in Nairobi and was broadcast later in the year on KBC. It was also broadcast in Tanzania and Uganda.

Mediae has been involved in developing and sustaining communication channels to reach rural and urban audiences for the last eight years. In Kenya and Tanzania this has been in the form of radio soaps and in Uganda it has focused on the development of two television series. The success of the health television series made in Uganda ("Centre 4") but broadcast in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and in most English-speaking countries in Africa has encouraged Mediae (supported by Ford Foundation) to look more closely at the opportunity to develop a high-quality, but low-cost, TV series aimed at reaching principally rural/peri-urban TV audiences.