Students at the Kenya National Drama and Film Festival are using theatre and film to simplify digital finance and banking solutions, turning policy themes into relatable lessons for households and small businesses across the country.
Under the festival theme, Bold Storytellers, Digital Stages: Driving Kenya’s Development Through Theatre and Film, learners showcased how cashless payments, digital records, and responsible borrowing can reduce costs and unlock economic growth.
Equity Bank’s sub-theme, Leveraging Technology to Make Banking a Lifestyle – From a Place You Go to Something You Do, guided performances that encouraged audiences to embrace digital financial tools for daily life.
Everyday Business Stories Brought to Life on Stage
Through relatable performances, students demonstrated how ordinary Kenyans can benefit from digital banking.
Scenes included kiosk owners replacing loose cash with QR code and e-wallet payments to create auditable business records and qualify for stock financing. Parents were shown shifting school fee payments to digital platforms for faster transactions and verifiable receipts.
Youth agripreneurs highlighted the use of savings apps to fund farm inputs and insure harvests, while women-led groups demonstrated how instant payments can help them reach customers across counties and regional markets.
Students also addressed risks such as cyber fraud and irresponsible borrowing, emphasising the importance of digital safety and clean financial records in accessing affordable credit.
Spoken Word Links Independence to Financial Inclusion
At Kayole South Senior School, trainer Morgan Odera pushed creative boundaries by connecting Kenya’s independence story with modern-day financial inclusion.
Their spoken word performance, delivered by student Sheila Akinyi, explored how education finance and financial literacy empower young people to participate in Kenya’s digital economy.
“We have just performed a spoken word talking about how Kenya gained independence and how the bank chips in to benefit students, mostly through its education programs and by supporting businesspeople and Kenya’s development in general,” said Odera.
He acknowledged the challenge of blending historical struggles with current financial themes but praised the creativity behind the piece, especially its connection to Equity Bank’s Wings to Fly education programme.
Dance Performance Highlights Small Business Growth
At Precious Blood Riruta, lead choreographer Amos Othengo Pinto used dance to tell the story of a small trader building her business through disciplined saving.
The performance followed a mama mboga who banks her daily earnings to create a savings record and strengthen her enterprise.
“After a day with her customers, she can save in the bank to boost the business,” he said.
The team blended African dance and hip-hop styles to deliver a modern story of entrepreneurship and financial discipline.
‘Giza Gizani’ Tackles Justice and Accountability
The Kenya Institute of Mass Communication also used the festival to address social issues through the play Giza Gizani, performed under the Equity theme.
The production explored abuse of power, silence in homes and institutions, absent parenting, and injustice.
Playwright and thespian Dickens Sumba said the work was designed to provoke reflection and inspire courage.
“We built Giza Gizani to strip impunity of its glamour, to show what silence costs in homes and institutions, and to light a path toward courage, dignity and justice,” he said.
Education Leaders Push for Learner-Created Scripts
Nairobi Regional Director of Education Reuben Kipturgor said the focus on business and financial literacy in drama is intentional and aimed at making art practical and learner-driven.
He emphasised the importance of allowing students to generate their own scripts while teachers guide and refine their creativity.
“Can we make these activities learner-based? Can we allow our learners to generate their own script, and then we help them fine-tune it? That is the only way we can develop their talents,” he said.
He also called on partners to support student creators in meaningful ways.
Equity Bank Invests Sh25 Million in Festival
Equity Bank has committed Sh25 million nationally to support the festival, reinforcing its focus on financial inclusion and digital transformation.
The themed performances demonstrate how technology is making banking services part of everyday life for individuals, schools, and enterprises.
At the national finals, winners in the Equity classes will receive KSh100,000, while runners-up will take home KSh50,000 and third-place winners KSh30,000, alongside trophies and certificates.
The best trainer will receive KSh30,000, with second and third place earning KSh20,000 and KSh10,000 respectively.
National Finals Set for Nyeri
The national finals will be held in April in Nyeri, followed by gala showcases hosted by Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba and Equity Group CEO and Managing Director Dr James Mwangi.
The top students will conclude the season with a special performance at State Lodge, Nyeri, during a gala expected to be attended by President William Ruto.