(Al Jazeera English: 1120 PST, April 7, 2011) Three high-profile Kenyans have appeared at the International Criminal Court at the Hague. They're members of the so-called Ocampo Six. The group is accused of masterminding the violence that killed more than 1,000 people after Kenya's 2007 elections. Al Jazeera's Andrew Simmons reports.

Kenyan Politicians to Face International Criminal Court

(Al Jazeera English: 2146 PST, April 6, 2011) Al Jazeera's Catherine Soi reports on the background to the trial from Eldoret in Western Kenya.

One Kenyan’s Dream, Building A Future for Many: Film Contest Grand-Prize-Winner Aaron Kisner speaks on his film’s inspirational leader

Vision. It’s what we at Link TV’s ViewChange.org hoped to showcase in our Online Film Contest— the vision to raise awareness, inspire action, and accelerate the worldwide movement to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. Launched in April, 2010, we received 136 powerful entries—in the form of documentary, short drama, music video, and animation—by September. Then the judging began: votes were cast by viewers like you, and our panel of celebrity judges chose their top picks. In November, the winners were announced, and all contest films were streamed on ViewChange.org.

Vision. It’s what drove Kakenya Ntaiya, an unbelievably courageous woman from the Maasai Village in Kenya, to defy all odds and become the first woman in her village to leave Africa to obtain a college education in America. The revolutionary vision to change the lives of Maasai girls compelled Kakenya to pursue a dream of teaching.  She has just completed a doctorate in education from the University of Pittsburgh and is now planning to fulfill the promise she made to her village when she left—the promise to give back. Kakenya started an academy for underprivileged girls in her village in 2009, which is growing every year thanks to her advocacy and outside support.

What a story! We were sure blown away. It’s what inspired filmmaker Aaron Kisner to create the grand-prize-winning-entry Vital Voices: Kakenya showcasing this envisioned Kenyan’s story, dream and action. For his incredible video, Link TV presented Kisner with an award of $25,000! He then proceeded to blow us away yet again—choosing to give away all the money to fund a dorm for Kakenya’s academy for girls.

Be the change you hope to inspire. There’s no better example of it than right here. Kakenya set an example in her community by giving back through the education of others. Kisner is setting an example in our community to give back through charity and support of those working toward a better life. In an article for the Huffington Post, Kisner writes about what inspired him to make the film:

“In what Kakenya is doing, I see a woman who is taking care of the world, and it makes me feel like things can get better. Most importantly, it reminds me that it's women like Kakenya who lead change. From within.

"The stakes are high. The course towards a more equitable life for girls has been mapped, but the outcome is not guaranteed. This school and its students must succeed. Many are watching from both sides of an ideological divide. I want them all to know that I stand with Kakenya. As do hundreds of thousands of supporters who have heard her story and joined in the effort to spread it.

"As a director, I don't think I have a right to tell other people how they should live their lives, but my work can still play a part in positive social change.”

Of the six film contest categories, Vital Voices: Kakenya won the category “Overcoming Conflict.” Having come from a culture that is oppressive toward women, Kakenya has struggled from a young age against the expectations required of her as she ascends womanhood. Kisner describes her struggles with the humiliating ritual of female genital cutting:

“At puberty, every Maasai girl endures an excruciating circumcision, and at that point, she is available for marriage. No anesthetic is used, and any girl who remains 'uncut' is considered unclean; a disgrace to her family. So, Kakenya bargained with the only thing she had. She confronted her father and threatened to run away. She would remain uncut and bring him shame unless he agreed to let her finish school."

Because of her experiences, Kakenya has become an advocate against sexist practices in the Kenyan community. Beyond the standard academic subjects, she includes a health curriculum educating girls on genital circumcision, reproductive health, HIV/AIDS awareness and negotiating power in future sexual relationships. Other educational components include Leadership Training and Culture Preservation. The Kakenya Center for Excellence is the first primary girls’ school in the region, and has a goal of enrolling 150 students in grades four to eight.

As an independent director based in New York, Kisner works with non-profits to tell their stories in a compelling, accessible way. He has created a series of short films in collaboration with Vital Voices Global Partnership, ExxonMobil Foundation, Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Women, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Kisner made this film in collaboration with the Vital Voices Global Partnership, a non-profit organizations that invests in women leaders, offering training, mentorship, connections, and opportunities to bring their stories to the world stage.

For Kakenya’s entire story, check out Vital Voices: Kakenya:

Read Aaron Kisner's complete Huffington Post article.

The winning entries for our ViewChange Online Film Contest represented a wide range of styles and themes as they told stories of progress in meeting the UN Millennium Development Goals around the world. Ana Cetina’s Rising to the Top, the winner of the Local/Global Partnerships category, is a short film done in classic documentary style about the Sarakasi Trust’s innovative approach to youth empowerment in Nairobi. Last week, she wrote for the Huffington Post about the film, the Trust, and her deep-seated love for Kenya.

Ana Cetina moved to Nairobi, Kenya from Bogota, Colombia when she was seven, and returned to Kenya years later to film Endeleza, the extended version of her winning entry, Rising to the Top. She was motivated to document the inspirational story after leaving Kenya because she saw that many people outside of Africa only saw the continent’s dark side. In the Huffington Post, Cetina writes:

"I have always felt very fortunate that I had the opportunity to live in Kenya and see for myself how beautiful it is and how warm the people are. But after leaving the country, I noticed how little people in the west know about what Africa is really like. The media mostly shows the violence, the starving children, and the animals, and yes, this is a part of reality that everyone needs to be aware of. But very rarely do we get to see the beautiful people, the different cultures and the positive side of the continent that also deserves attention."

Rising to the Top is an inspiring short about the Sarakasi Trust, which provides performance arts training to the youth of Nairobi’s slums. The dance and acrobatic instruction they receive can subsequently be utilized as a sustainable source of income. Cetina’s Huffington Post article expresses her admiration for the program’s method of cultivating talent as well as life skills:

"What impressed me the most about the Sarakasi Trust [...] is the fact that instead of imposing western values as a means for success, Kenyans are able to use their existing culture for their own advancement. In addition to refining their dancing and acrobatic expertise, artists also get the opportunity to learn different life skills by means of workshops and performances around the world. And as they improve, they're also encouraged to use their creativity to provide input in coordinating and choreographing actual performances. In turn, through outreach programs, the more advanced performers serve as role models and relay their acrobatic and dancing skills to the youth living in the slums of Nairobi. The Sarakasi Trust provides Kenyans with the means to empower the younger generation with the hope of a better life."

Watch Rising to the Top:

Read Ana Cetina’s complete article in the Huffington Post.

When we launched the ViewChange Online Film Contest we encouraged entries of all genres – and we got them! One of the most creative – and certainly the catchiest – entry was Peter Jansen’s “Trash is Cash,” which won the contest’s “Sustainability” award.

Peter Jansen has worked as art director and production designer in film and TV for 25 years. He now lives and works in Kenya, finding creative ways to combat poverty in the slums of Nairobi. There, Jansen discovered a group of motivated youth who use hip-hop music to call attention to an important issue in the city—recycling. Jansen writes in the Huffington Post about the youth group Walfame (the Kings) and the goal they are trying to achieve through hip-hop:

Jansen created the music video “Trash is Cash” to highlight the positive, transformative powers of the music and activism. Watch the talents of these hip-hop stars below:

Read Peter Jansen’s complete article in the Huffington Post.