This archive report was first published on 30 June 2020.
On a sunny Sunday in Kisumu, three young men, Hanington Okello, Steve Owiti, and Cornel Oduor, were busy painting a wall on Kakamega road. The wall, located at Patel Flats, was about to become a canvas for their art, and a platform to spread awareness about COVID-19 prevention measures.
Okello, Owiti, and Oduor are graduates who, like many of their peers, struggled to find employment in their respective fields. Okello, a 24-year-old, had always been passionate about art, and had pursued a degree in education, arts, and design. Owiti, a 29-year-old civil engineering graduate from the Technical University of Kenya, had been doing pencil drawings as an amateur, but had not taken it seriously until he met his colleagues. Oduor, a 25-year-old archaeology graduate from Maseno University, had also been passionate about drawing, but had not had the opportunity to nurture his talent until he met Okello and Owiti.
Thanks to a government grant of Sh100 million, released by President Uhuru Kenyatta to cushion artists against the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, the three graduates have been able to turn their passion into a career. They have dedicated at least 15 days to painting walls in Kisumu slums, spreading awareness about measures to prevent the spread of the virus.
“When we applied for the grant, we were not sure we would get it because we were not so entrenched in the field of painting,” said Okello, who is the leader of the group christened “Graffiti Africa, Kisumu”. “The association is providing everything we need for the painting work, and our biggest role is to identify places where we can paint, and get permission from relevant authorities to paint,” he added.
Their paintings carry educative messages in line with the Ministry of Health guidelines on the fight against the spread of the virus. Some of the messages include Komesha Corona (Stop Corona), Wash Hands, Wear Masks, and Keep Distance.
On the day The Standard caught up with them, they were putting final touches to their painting, which was a vibrant display of colors and creativity. As they worked, they chatted about their passion for art, and how it had become a way of life for them.
“I had not taken drawing seriously until I met these colleagues recently and we decided to expand our scope,” said Owiti. “We each got Sh15,000 and other materials from the government’s kitty aimed at cushioning artists against the impacts of coronavirus,” added Oduor.
As they finished their painting, Okello, Owiti, and Oduor stood back to admire their work. They had created something beautiful, and something that would make a difference in the lives of the people of Kisumu.
