MINING MINORS AND MINORING IN THE MAJOR

The increase in the number of long-form news features in Kenyan broadcasting stations is great. The in-depth look at issues afflicting the society, affords the country an opportunity to reflect on the presented challenges and contemplate appropriate solutions. A recent feature on child labour put the focus on mining minors but almost ended up minoring in the major.

The scope of people interviewed was impressively wide, which brilliantly captured the conflicting interests at play, and how these ended up disadvantaging young children in that community.

However, the choice of what speakers say in the final story, raised more questions for the audience to try and figure out, in what emerged as a vicious cycle of poverty sabotaging efforts to vanquish poverty.

One of the 'poverty stricken' parents (hopefully not a minor), talks of the poor market prices of the product of his menial work. He is determined though, because he has to provide for his children...all 12 of them!

The other parent confidently justifies pulling children out of a public school, and enrolling them in a private learning facility.

But she just can't afford the switch and so it's back to the mining pit, in the interim, because there's no point prioritising education, over putting food on the table.

This parent also argues that the main problem with government-funded schools is that teachers seldom show up in class, thus compromising the learning process.

But what do school administrators say? There are fewer and fewer children to teach!

The issue of affordable education in the context of free primary education is somehow a major factor too. And the reason why many children are out of school is 'exorbitant' additional levies.

There's no mention of the possible impact of state-funded bursaries for needy children.

Local education officials, meanwhile, don't want to enforce laws that require parents to take their children to school, opting to instead 'sensitise' them first!

I could go on some more, but suffice it to say,  this feature raised pertinent issues about mining minors, but its delivery bordered on minoring in the major aspects.

Curiously, another rival station did a similar feature on child labour, three years ago, but in a different part of Kenya.

Some more creativity in crafting the title of the feature, could have been a useful 'minor' addition.

BLIND PHOTOGRAPHER'S INDICTMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT & GOVERNORS

The in-coming government has grand ideas about how to move Kenya forward. But what does it all mean to the blind photographer, recently featured in one of the local news channels? That kind of nexus is what the media should endeavour to probe, as opposed to mere reportage of isolated 'great stories' of the day.

Undoubtedly, that blind photography story was so inspiring. It depicted the enduring quest for survival, in spite of all manner of challenges facing humanity. And to many viewers perhaps, it served to indicate how their day to day predicaments pale, when compared to the burden faced by other Kenyans.

And thus, my worry that there is a missed opportunity here, to challenge those in authority to tailor make policies, and make them more responsive to the needs of people like Richard Rono. And yes. Much more can be done.

I have had the privilege of doing a blind photography TV feature, only that it was in the United Kingdom. Before you dismiss this as an unfair comparison of what goes on in the developed world and a Third World country, hear me out.

The subjects in my story had a similar visual impairment afflicting Rono. But Brian Negus (pictured above) is entirely doing his photography as a hobby.

And yet he has government sanctioned access to gadgets that not only make his pass-time practical, but also equipment and technology that makes his life without proper vision, very much bearable. But as for Rono, his photography is his main means of earning a livelihood.

He subsequently makes a passionate appeal for assistance, stressing that transportation is his main challenge. But who is he addressing in particular? A central Government or area Governor perchance, let alone well-wishers?

This is why I strongly believe that the right social welfare policies could alleviate the plight of the likes of Rono.

His life too can be made a little more bearable, though not exactly like that of Negus, just yet. And therein lies my challenge to the Kenyan media. If possible, try and look at the bigger picture, when covering such stories.

NB: The blind photography story that I'm making reference to, was a collaborative effort with my great colleagues, Ady Nugroho and Sadia Hasanzada.