Across rural and peri-urban environments, women are driving household- and community-level development. They are building livelihoods, managing family health, and investing in the next generation. Yet their potential is constrained by limited access to assets and financial services, barriers to healthcare, entrenched gender norms, and the presence of gender-based violence. Despite these challenges, women continue to lead in strengthening their families and communities, demonstrating resilience and innovation in the face of systemic barriers. 

These struggles and strengths now take center stage in Maisha Makutano, a new educational drama series developed by The Mediae Company and inspired by Dalberg Design’s work in Kenya with CGAP, the Gates Foundation, the World Bank, and other partners. Airing on Citizen TV, Kenya’s most-watched national channel, the show uses storytelling to reflect lived realities and inspire dialogue on issues that matter deeply to Kenyan families. The series premiered on 6 September with its first episode attracting 2 million viewers in Kenya. Since then, episodes two and three have drawn an average audience of 3.7 million. 

Grounding Storytelling in Evidence 

For several years, Dalberg Design has worked alongside partners to better understand how women in rural and peri-urban Kenya build livelihoods, exercise agency, and navigate social barriers. This work, spanning collaborations with CGAP, the Gates Foundation, and the World Bank, has generated a rich body of evidence on women’s financial and social journeys. 

Between 2021 and 2023, Dalberg Design conducted research across nine counties in Kenya, combining qualitative and quantitative approaches. The work included in-depth interviews, observations, participatory activities such as photocards and concept testing, and a national survey conducted by Dalberg Research reaching over 770 women in rural livelihoods.

The findings identified distinct personas—sub-segments of women with unique contexts, motivations, and aspirations—and mapped their pathways toward empowerment. These pathways highlighted enablers such as access to savings groups and cooperatives, as well as inhibitors including restrictive gender norms, household dynamics, and exposure to gender-based violence. 

Storylines Rooted in Real Lives 

Set in the fictional village of Makutano, the series follows characters who navigate financial inclusion, agribusiness, gender-based violence, reproductive health, and family decision-making. The drama portrays both the barriers women face and the opportunities that can enable transformation, with stories of successes and setbacks woven into a rich narrative reflective of the complexity of real-world families and communities. 

What makes Maisha Makutano distinctive is its grounding in extensive community research. Dalberg Design’s foundational research across Kenya identified the different pathways women take toward building livelihoods and exercising agency, and these insights were directly woven into the characters and story arcs. Related Dalberg collaborations through the BRIDGES initiative with the Gates Foundation, CGAP and the World Bank—exploring how digitized Savings and Credit Co-Operative Societies (SACCOs) and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) can become platforms for gender transformation and women’s economic empowerment at scale—strengthened these insights and contributed to the storylines. 

A Tool for Transformation 

The impact of the show extends beyond the screen. Through iMamas, an interactive service linked to the series, viewers can receive real-time support via SMS, WhatsApp, and calls. iMamas offers practical advice on financial management, maternal and reproductive health, and resources for addressing gender-based violence, ensuring that inspiration is paired with action. 

Maisha Makutano is more than a drama. By placing women’s voices and journeys at the heart of the narrative, it challenges stereotypes, raises awareness of critical issues, and highlights pathways for empowerment. At the same time, it provides audiences with accessible resources to make changes in their own lives. 

Through compelling storytelling, grounded in evidence, Maisha Makutano seeks to shift norms and create a future where women across Kenya have greater agency, opportunity, and support.