Taking Informal Workers' Stories to the Road
By sharing workers' stories on matatu video screens across Nairobi, we're inviting thousands of commuters to better understand, empathise with, and support the rights of informal workers.
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Why we are doing this
Over the past few weeks, we’ve been distributing videos created by HDL in partnership with Data4Change to matatu operators across Nairobi. The videos highlight the experiences of three groups of workers: matatu workers, waste pickers, and domestic workers.
The idea was simple. We shared the videos with matatu operators using USB flash disks so they could play them on the screens inside their matatus, allowing passengers to engage with stories and information they might not otherwise come across.
“Hii ndio content inafaa kuchezwa kwa screen, si kelele tu na music videos - This is the type of content that should be on screen, not just noise and music videos" Matatu Driver
Mike converting video files and uploading them on USB flash disks.
How we are doing this
Because we both work as matatu operators we know that most matatu aduiovisual systems use flashdrives to display content on the video screens inside the vehicles.
So the first thing we did was to convert the four videos we produced (you can watch them at the bottom of this blog) into small sharable files in the most common file formats used in matatus audiovisual systems, and then we uploaded the files on 150+ USB flash disks given to us by Data4Change.
We also visited a lot of matatu SACCOs (this stands for 'Savings and Credit Cooperative Organization') as they manage routes, regulate operations, and enforce safety standards and we got them to agree to show the videos one their fleet of matatus.
Liston attending a meeting with the Super Metro SACCO, one of the biggest in Nairobi with more than 400 buses across major routes in and out of the Nairobi CBD.
In order to keep track of who we hand out the USB flash disks to we asked conductors to fill in a short Google form we created so we could keep track of where the videos had been distributed and stay connected with them.
What is working well
What worked well was meeting people face-to-face. Many operators were willing to listen, ask questions, and share their thoughts. Having those conversations made the distribution process feel less like a task and more like an exchange.
One thing that surprised us was how interested some operators were in the stories. The videos sparked conversations about work, recognition, and different challenges workers face every day.
WhatsApp Video 2026-06-19 at 2.31.50 PM (1).mp4Collecting impact data
One of the most valuable parts of this project is the follow-ups we are doing with the matato drivers and conductors collecting impact data from their experienc and passerngers experiences.
We are doing this through doing weekly check-ins with the drivers and conductors who have the video files using a combination of a Whatsapp Broadcast and Google Forms.
This data, collected in a way to minimise the time burden on the matatu operators but still gather important impact datat and storoes will help us understand whether the videos were being watched, what messages resonated most and challenges the operators were facing while playing the videos. We are already getting some responses from passengers that are giving us new ideas!
“Hawa mapolisi wanachukua tu pesa kwa barabara bila kujali mtu amefanya kazi aje. Wanafaa kuwatch hizi videos ndio wajue watu wanajua rights zao! - The police take bribes without considering how someone has worked and how much they’ve earned. They should watch these videos so that they know that workers know their rights!" Passenger
Reflections on our approiach and next steps
If we could do something differently, we would have set up our weekly check-in system earlier as the videos started playing in matatus sooner than we had planned.
On the technical side, the sheer diversity of the matau audiovisual systems was another eye-opener. Some setups are incredibly high-tech, while others required a lot of trial and error just to get the audio formatting to sync up correctly with the older screen setups.
We're excited to see how the project continues to grow as we strengthen our engagement with matatu operators and their audiences.
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