How young creative's work was boosted by KCB's 2Jiajiri programme

Life at the university can get tough. But it gets tougher when money is short and you have to pay all the bills – tuition fees, food, shelter, even basics such as airtime.

Most students even prefer to drop out and get a job. This is the situation that Gesacho Glacer found himself in, in 2019, as a student of Fine Arts and Design at Kenyatta University.

“The little HELB money that was coming in was not enough. My dream of becoming a successful creative was in peril,” Gesacho said in an interview with The Standard.

Notably, apart from film design, Gesacho is also a versatile creative well versed in the arts of sculpturing, painting (especially murals) and photography. 

This is until he came across the KCB 2Jiajiri programme, which was partnering with FilamuJuani, a film school that mentors young creatives.

“I came across the KCB 2jiajiri programme in late 2019. The programme was a life-changer. Through its meticulous planning, I was able to undertake a certificate course in film production at the Filamujuani school. This was the beginning of a very productive time for me career-wise,” Gesacho stresses.

At Filamujuani, he went through training that set him up well until he was able to start his own company, DOCMENTAZ Media which has gained a foothold in Kenya’s creative industry.

It is instructive to note that according to data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, Kenya’s creative sector contributes 5 per cent to the national GDP, creates jobs and is a contributor to a happier and healthier lifestyle.

“I decided to call the company DOCMENTAZ because, besides producing documentaries, the company mentors young people who are interested in film and design,” explained Gesacho.

The real change in his fortunes came when, after, the training at Filamujuani, KCB 2Jiajiri followed him up and again trained him in business studies which opened up huge doors of business opportunities.

“I never knew how to start a company; the documentation involved was mindboggling. This was until the programme introduced us to financial literacy training which was intense and an eye-opener,” avers Gesacho.

After the training, Gesacho explained that he was able to register his outfit with the necessary regulatory authorities and get the crucial licenses.

“Besides that, I was now able to understand how to manage revenue and work out the craft of bookkeeping which was hitherto a bit difficult for me. I used to be paid through mobile money transfer. Now I have opened a bank account which helps me manage my income,” he said.

Another aspect that the KCB 2Jiajiri programme introduced him to was networking.

“Through the programme, I have been able to meet other creatives in different forums where we have shared ideas and supported each other in a positive way that has greatly helped our ventures. I must also emphasize that after going through the training, I have been able to mentor other creatives especially in the financial part of our work,” Gesacho stressed.

KCB 2Jiajiri is a program by the KCB Foundation that helps young people start and grow businesses through vocational training and business development. The program's goal is to create jobs for the youth and help them become employers.