Pupils Promote Financial Wisdom Through Poetic Education
The Kenya National Music Festival, currently in its third day, is not just a celebration of artistic talent but also a platform for financial education and insurance awareness, thanks to the sponsorship of Equity Bank.
The festival's theme, 'Enhancing the Creative Economy through Artistic Expression for Sustainable Development,' complements Equity's focus on 'Securing Lives Transformed and Wealth Created through Life, Health, and Wealth Insurance.'
Equity Bank's sponsorship, to the tune of 25 million Kenya shillings, supports schools financially and logistically. In return, schools participating in the festival showcase their talents while integrating messages that encourage securing lives and wealth via insurance products.
The performances emphasize themes aligned with Equity's vision of sustainable development through life, health, and wealth insurance. For instance, Lukenya Academy's poem "Arise and Flap Your Wings," which secured third place in the Junior Secondary School's elocution class, uses the metaphor of "fluffy wings" to depict Equity as a nurturing and protective force that shelters individuals, families, and communities from life's uncertainties.
Meanwhile, Little Friends Academy from Naivasha won the top spot in the Junior Secondary School's elocution class with a verse titled "Under the Roof." The poem "The Fluffy Wings," performed by PCEA Kagema, centered on financial literacy, empowerment, and social transformation. Both performances were marked by clear diction, emotive expression, and synchronized movement.
Boniface Ochieng Ochieng, the trainer of Lukenya Academy, wrote the script for the winning poem, while Joram Ojwang, the trainer of PCEA Kagema, praised the children's performance in the Equity-sponsored poem. Ochieng's unique approach to scriptwriting is rooted in a psychological perspective, and he asks students to try writing their own scripts initially, listening to what they speak about during auditions.
In the competitive world of the festival, success is often attributed to rigorous practice, vocal precision, and flawless delivery. However, for Ochieng, the secret to captivating performances lies not just in skill, but in the raw, authentic emotions of his students. As a result, Little Friends Academy received an invitation for their winning team to perform at the gala on August 13.
Thus, the Kenya National Music Festival serves as both a cultural event and an educational platform aligned with Equity’s theme to transform lives and create enduring wealth through insurance. The partnership between the festival and Equity Bank not only fosters artistic expression but also promotes financial literacy and insurance awareness among the youth and the broader community.
[1] Equity Group Holdings Limited. (2021). Equity Bank sponsors Kenya National Music Festival. Retrieved from https://www.equitybankgroup.com/news/equity-bank-sponsors-kenya-national-music-festival/
[2] Standard Media. (2021). Equity Bank sponsors Kenya National Music Festival. Retrieved from https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001398589/equity-bank-sponsors-kenya-national-music-festival
[4] Equity Group Foundation. (2021). Equity Group Foundation supports Kenya National Music Festival. Retrieved from https://www.equitygroupfoundation.com/news/equity-group-foundation-supports-kenya-national-music-festival/
- The partnership between the Kenya National Music Festival and Equity Bank extends beyond artistic showcase, incorporating financial education and insurance awareness into the platform, demonstrating the intersection of politics (governance and policy) and business (sponsorship).
- In the realm of education-and-self-development, Equity Bank's sponsorship of the Kenya National Music Festival is not solely confined to financial support for schools, but also promotes financial literacy, empowerment, and social transformation through performances and the integration of insurance-related messages.
- The festival's elocution winners, such as Lukenya Academy and Little Friends Academy, have used their performances to advocate for health coverage and wealth creation, thus underscoring the importance of finance and insurance in everyday life.
