Femicide in Kenya reached record levels in 2024, sparking unprecedented protests as thousands of women took to the streets. On average a woman is killed every day, often by a man she knows, yet men remained largely absent from the conversation.

While 65% of Kenyan men believed gender-based violence was never justifiable, 69% assumed their peers accepted it. That gap kept men silent.

The barrier wasn't belief. It was social risk. In Kenyan male culture, speaking up against a friend's behaviour, even violent behaviour, breaks an unspoken code. It's easier to accept "mandume ni mandume tu" (men are just men).

The Approach

Every Valentine's Day, Kenya's 'Men's Conference' meme goes viral, an online joke about men attending an imaginary gathering to dodge romantic responsibilities. We turned it into something real.

Working with beloved actor and filmmaker Abel Mutua, we hosted an actual Men's Conference: one that replaced humour with accountability. The centrepiece was a 20-minute film built around a single, simple call to action, "Safisha Rada" (clean up your act). A familiar Swahili phrase, re-engineered into a socially acceptable way for men to challenge harmful behaviour without breaking the codes of male loyalty.

Over 270 creators, comedians, gospel artists, Gen Z voices, became advocates across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and X, each in their own voice, reaching their own communities.

The Results

The campaign reached 42.4 million people, 74% of Kenya's population.

It trended on X for three days, with men driving 80% of conversations about tackling GBV. The film aired on prime-time national TV twice.

Behaviour shifted measurably: 30% more men knew how to challenge harmful behaviour, 34% more said they would, and 50% more believed their peers should call it out too.

A national joke became a national reckoning.