Peace in Our Pockets

Kenyans Using Mobile Phones and SMS to Build Peace and Prevent Violence

The film follows inspirational Kenyan activists as they promote civic engagement, build democracy, and defuse violence in the lead up to historic 2013 national elections. With cutting-edge SMS text-messaging, mobile phones, and people-to-people organizing, the peacebuilders transform the very meaning of peace in their country.

Following the 2007 national elections, Kenyan politicians used text messages to incite violence and exploit long-standing tribal tensions. In response, thousands of activists across Kenya organized to counteract those who would tear their country apart. The film goes inside the work of Sisi ni Amani ("We Are Peace" in Swahili), a small NGO formed in 2009 to embrace the same technology in the pursuit of peace, the education of citizens, and the prevention of ethnic conflict. In response, thousands of activists across Kenya organized to counteract those who would tear their country apart. Sisi ni Amani ("We Are Peace" in Swahili) formed in 2009 to embrace the same technology in the pursuit of peace.

Peace in Our Pockets explores the power of text messaging to educate, engage, and empower citizens and to promote good governance and community development in Nairobi's informal settlements and communities across Kenya.