The Makutano Junction drama series, which consists of two 13 part series, aims to use accessible storylines which 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.


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.

The edutainment series includes many storylines: there is the story of Nancy and Karris, a warring couple that love one another passionately, Karis, an unreliable lady’s man, teacher Rose, the mother of four difficult adolescents, Doctor Charles, the new arrival in the neighbourhood as well as gossiping market women, adulterous businessmen, and more.

One of the objectives of the series was to provide an opportunity to build capacity in Kenya for producing sustainable 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 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 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 on the programmes themselves.

The series also has its own Makutano Website
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.

Health, Natural Resource Management, Education.

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

According to the project organisers the drama has reached 5 million regular 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 will be broadcast later in the year on KBC. It will also be broadcast in Tanzania and Uganda.

Mediae has been involved in developing and sustaining innovative and effective 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.