This archive report was first published on 3 July 2020.
As the COVID-19 crisis continues to affect livelihoods in Lamu County, local artists are calling on the county government to provide support to help them build viable income streams.
Speaking to KNA, Sauti za Pwani founder Umra Omar emphasized the need for collaboration between the county government, artists, and community-based organizations to empower talented groups, particularly youths, through sustainable grants.
Umra made these comments as her organization donated public address systems worth Kshs 350,000 to a roving band of nine popular musicians and spoken word poets, known as “Al Nur Sunny and Party,” led by Khalid Omari, a blind self-taught musician and spoken word savant.
“Such groups promote the “Shairi” (spoken word) culture that is always a staple in major functions across the coast, yet you find that these artists are so poorly paid for the creative work they usually do,” Umra said, adding that there was a need to empower such groups via sustainable grants.
She further stated that there was a need to cancel the culture of handouts among these artists, for whom this is the only way they survive.
Renowned spoken word artist Fakrudin Hashim Said echoed Umra's sentiments, stating that they are often forced to resort to handouts due to lack of appreciation for written contracts for performing artists.
“The County department of public health contracted me to do a Shairi for them as part of the COVID-19 crisis campaign but was only given Kshs 500 for my troubles,” Fakrudin lamented.
He further divulged that donations or equipment grants such as those donated by Sauti za Pwani can go a long way towards empowering artists, to earn a better living by hiring out equipment for the functions that they perform in.
Gender, Sports and Culture CEC Paul Thairu acknowledged a lot still needs to be done to improve the plight of talented youths in the arts, revealing that the county government had set aside a 14.7 million grant in the 2020/2021 financial year budget and urged the talent groups and musicians to apply for the fund once made available.
