In this piece of work, I examine Chama groups, or organized parties popular with Kenyan women. Chamas have been used as means of combating patriarchy, more particularly through economic stability making these feminist constellations widely known throughout the country. Chama (investment) A chama is an informal cooperative collective in East Africa, particularly in Kenya, that draws and invests funds.

The chama movement is also known as “small savings groups”. It is the Swahili word for “ group” or “organized party”. Chama occurrences evolved out of the idea of Harambee, which means “all together”, during the late 1980s and 1990s. Chamas were primarily women’s groups initially, but as the chamas grew in sophistication and popularity, men also began to participate. A chama structure is widely used across Africa but is most common in Kenya. Chamas are also popularly known for their exclusivity. “Through gossip, we thrive” reveals the re-presentation of women through cliches such as household chores and gossip set upon women, which are shown by the kettles and the whispering audio sounds.

I made this work as a man who questions who has the right to represent whom, how, and why, while investigating the positions men take in the feminist movements.