The journey to creating RIBA Zetu Zetu Kwa Streets
This edition of the Toybox supporter magazine has been imagined and developed by children and youth living in street situations in Nairobi. Throughout the process, the children and youth demonstrated their ability to imagine, create and communicate their lived realities in their own words and images.
Sparking ideas
Before the children got involved, PKL staff met to understand the project. Once everything was clear, in lively, participatory sessions, children and youth brainstormed what their magazine could look like. They shared ideas on themes close to their hearts - education, urban farming, and stories from their daily lives. From the start, the goal was simple: a magazine that reflects their authentic voices and creativity.
Building skills
Before diving in, the children took part in refresher sessions on photography skills, safeguarding, artwork and storytelling. These skills gave them the confidence to create, while PKL staff stood by for support - ensuring the content remained authentically theirs.
Everyone has a role
To foster inclusivity, children and youth from all five project areas joined in. They wrote, drew, photographed and shared ideas. This broad involvement not only enriched the content but also created a sense of collective ownership by the children we work with.
Later, 15 participants were selected from different bases who came together as the editorial team to review everything and choose the strongest pieces. This collaborative approach allowed everyone to feel represented and the final magazine felt like a collective achievement. To ensure the process was progressing well, several review meetings were held giving space to reflect, adjust and strengthen the magazine at every stage.
Safeguarding first
Consent was sought for all contributions, and names were protected where needed. Every story was handled with care to ensure dignity and avoid stereotypes.
Creating the heart of the magazinee
The editorial team chose the magazine's name through a vote. This participatory process gave everyone a voice and ensured the final choice represented the groups' collective identity.
Four titles were suggested:
- Bright Candle
- Ghetto Story
- Ghetto Street Lights
- Riba Zetu Zetu Kwa Streets (Our Story from the Streets)
The winning title was Riba Zetu Zetu Kwa Streets - a powerful statement of identity and pride.
Participants also selected photos, wrote articles, and added quotes and reflections. The theme they chose highlights resilience - how street-connected children, youth and families can build strength and live with dignity.
Overcoming challenges - reflections
Low literacy levels: Some children struggled with writing so they were encouraged to use their slang or oral storytelling, while staff helped with transcription - keeping their voice intact.
Limited equipment: Many of the participants didn't have phones with cameras, so occasionally it was necessary for staff to share theirs under supervision.
Patience: Taking quality photos with proper lighting sometimes tested participants' patience. Facilitators used the opportunity to teach why good photos matter for a magazine and encouraged teamwork in capturing better shots. Project staff were also sensitive to the needs of the participants and when necessary the content was taken over multiple days.
