Early evidence on the impact of informal worker videos in matatus
Two months after we started distributing informal workers' stories to matatu screens across Nairobi, we are hearing back through the weekly check-ins with matatu drivers and conducters.
A month ago, we wrote about distributing USB flash disks to matatu operators across Nairobi, loaded with videos on the lives of matatu workers, waste pickers, and domestic workers.
The goal was to get passengers to watch something other than music videos on their ride and maybe walk away understanding a little more about the informal workers around them.
Since then, the question has shifted from "will they play it?" to "what's happening when they do?"
That's what our weekly check-ins, a short Sheng-language Google Form sent out over WhatsApp Broadcast are starting to answer.
Screenshots of the Sheng-language Google Form we send out on a weekly basis via WhatsApp broadcasting message to all the Conducters and Drivers that have signed up to supporting the project.
Who are we reaching?
So far, we've logged 76 weekly check-ins from conductors and drivers playing the videos, where 55% are Nganyas (33-seaters), 29% are 14-seater Nissans, and 16% are Mat ndogo (25-seaters). Most of these matatus are doing 6–10 trips a day, with a smaller share doing 1–5 or up to 15. Put together, that's not a one-off screening, its videos running on repeat, most of the day, being watched by a rotating crowd of passengers.
What is the passenger capacity of the vehicle you worked on this past week?
Approximately how many trips per day did you do this week?
How many days did the HDL videos play in the matatu you worked in this week?
How does showing the videos affect matatu drivers and conductors?
We were genuinely unsure whether asking operators to play "messaging content" instead of the usual entertainment would create friction for them at work. So far, it doesn't seem to: when asked whether playing the videos affected their work experience that week, roughly three in four conductors said no. It made no difference either way.
Did playing the videos affect your work experience (positively or negatively) as a conductor or driver this week?
About a quarter said it did affect them, which we're following up on to understand whether that's a positive or a negative pull but most of the feedback we have had is positive.
"Since nianze kuplay hizo videos na kushare na condu wenzangu naona my colleagues wamechange vile wanainteract na passenger na Kuna more respect saa hizi than before. Harassment zimepungua pia. Since I started playing these videos and sharing them with my fellow conductors, I've noticed my colleagues have changed how they interact with passengers. There is more respect now than before, and harassment has also decreased."
Matatu driver
What are passengers are saying?
A recurring theme is curiosity. Conductors described passengers who get surprised by the content that isn't the usual music videos, asking where the videos came from, whether the information in them was true, and asking for copies of the spoken word piece to keep for themselves.
"Watu wanauliza hizi stories zimetoka wapi na kama ni za kweli. Wengine wanataka copy ya spoken word wapeleke kwao. Passengers are asking where these stories came from and whether they're real. Some want a copy of the spoken word piece to take home." Matatu conductor
That kind of curiosity, people asking for their own copy, is a stronger signal. It suggests the videos are prompting people to process and want to hold onto the message, not just watch on a screen during their commute.
What's still getting in the way?
Not every screening has gone smoothly. Operators have reported videos that wouldn't play at first, screens that were down for a few days, and vehicles that spent time in the garage. Most of it came down to file format again, so we re-converted the affected videos and did a few follow-up visits to sort out the ones still giving trouble.
Where this goes next...
With a month of check-ins behind us, the next step is turning this into something we can act on. Doubling down on the SACCOs and vehicle types where engagement is strongest, tightening the video formats so fewer operators hit playback issues, and collecting more of these passenger reactions in operators' own words. We'll keep you posted!
Ps below are the videos playing in the matatus, check them out ☺️