John Allan Namu, a Kenyan investigative journalist has partnered with the Catapult Agency and Baraza Media Lab to create Shahara, an online platform where creatives can directly earn from their content.
Shahara, derived from the Swahili word Mshahara (salary) is a platform that enables content creators and other players in the creative economy to earn directly from their content.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, content creators have struggled to make money from content due to a dwindling economy and reduced marketing budgets by corporates. It is for this reason that Shahara was created, to assist in the direct purchase of content by audiences.
With Shahara, audiences are able to directly support content creators by paying directly for the content they consume on the platform. Each content will cost the consumer approximately Ksh. 100 ($1) per episode.
Shahara will also offer producers, content creators, journalists, writers, photographers and other story tellers a lion’s share of money earned.
John Allan Namu’s Africa Uncensored, is optimistic that the earnings will help sustain the creatives in their production work. This will in turn pave way for a thriving creative economy by the alliance between a content creator and their audience.
Popular Youtuber and content creator, Wabosha Maxine recently launched the platform’s flagship project. Her podcast, A Letter To My Younger Self, is a series of powerful, reflective interviews with ten Kenyans who are breaking boundaries.
Guests on the show write a letter to their younger self at an age that was most impactful to their life’s journey. She hopes to inspire youth to pursue the life they want to live through success and hard work.
Some of the guests featured on the podcast include John-Allan Namu, Willis Chimano of Sauti Sol, CEO of Vivo Activewear Wandia Gichuru, Olympic Weightlifter Winnie Okoth, and Musician Karun.