Totokreatives – Toto Kreatives is a movement built around a transformative platform that bridges the gap between child creators and the industry, policy, and funding actors who can help them grow.

Toto Kreatives

THEME: Dreams Come True — Reimagining the Present and Future of Children Creatives

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TOTO KREATIVES REPORT

STATE OF CHILDREN CREATIVES IN AFRICA REPORT

TOTO KREATIVES Festival 2025 Programme

Toto Kreatives is Mtoto News’s year-round movement for young creatives aged 7 to 21. It finds them, trains them in creative skills, intellectual property, online safety, monetisation, entrepreneurship and financial literacy, and connects them to mentors and opportunities.

In 2026 the festival takes place on 12 and 13 December and joins IGF 2026. It then becomes the Children’s Palaver, a children’s pavilion running to 18 December, where partners host sessions with children, policymakers listen, and children draft a Children’s Internet Bill of Rights.

Around the children, five Kreative Vijijis bring parents, educators, funders, regulators, technologists and practitioners to one table. The festival targets 3,000+ attendees, and safeguarding is the system it is built on.

2025 Festival Success

children and young people over two days

children recruited into a film by Nini Wacera

child invited into specialist AI training by Qhala

of views for festival content

Objectives and Expected Outcomes

The 2026 festival and

Empower children

as creators, storytellers and cultural leaders.
Provide safe platforms

for children's creative expression and participation.
Strengthen parents and educators

to nurture child creativity.
Give children a structural voice

in internet and AI governance, through the Junior IGF and the Children's Internet Bill of Rights.
Influence policy

on education, digital safety and the creative economy.

Build real skills

through hands-on creative, digital and entrepreneurial training.
Build mentorship pipelines

linking children to professionals.
Ensure inclusion

of girls, children with disabilities and marginalised groups.
Connect regionally and globally

so Kenyan children join creative ecosystems.
Create a safe space all week

where partners can host sessions with children.

A WEEK FOR CHILDREN AT IGF 2026

Kenya hosts the Internet Governance Forum in Nairobi from 14 to 18 December 2026, under the theme “Governing the Internet in the Age of Intelligence: Our Shared Responsibility”. Toto Kreatives now sits inside that week, so children are in the room where the internet is governed.

12 and 13 December

Toto Kreatives, the main activity

Masterclasses, mentorship, fireside chats and a dance showdown
Five Kreative Vijijis, each with an IGF lens
Components of the Palaver built in

14 to 18 December

The Children's Palaver

A children’s pavilion open all week
Junior IGF on Day 3 (14 December): children draft a Children’s Internet Bill of Rights
Policymaker one-on-ones, design sprints and hackathons
Partner-hosted sessions and side events
A safe space with supervised daycare
Toto Kreatives components continue

Kreative Vijijis

Kijiji is the Kiswahili word for village. One village is a Kijiji; two or more are Vijijis. Each is a small, focused village of conversation about one part of the ecosystem around a child creative. The main stage belongs to children. The Vijijis, new for 2026, are where the adults and institutions around them sit down together.
Half-day or full-day round-tables of about 60 to 90 people. Recommendations go into a public post-festival report.

Item 1

1. Educating the Creative and Pathways

GF lens: Digital and AI literacy as the entry ticket to taking part

Item 2

2. Raising, Supporting, Working with and Healing

IGF lens: Online safety and Article 12: protecting children without silencing them

Item 3

3.Building and Curating for the Creative

IGF lens: Safety by design, co-designed with children

Item 4

4. Creative Programming

IGF lens: Storytelling that carries children’s voices into policy

Item 5

5.Governing and Funding the Creative

IGF lens: Who sets the rules for children online, and who funds their place in the decision

What the Toto Kreatives Festival 2026 Will Entail

A. Masterclasses

Hands-on classes across all arts and creative ventures: music, dance, drama and film, visual art, fashion and design, podcasting, journalism, digital content, AI and financial literacy.

B. Media Zones & Brand Activations

Pop-up studios, podcast booths, interactive brand booths and exhibition booths where children try creator challenges.

C. Mentorship and fireside chats

Mentorship tracks across every art form, and childmoderated chats. Matata, our creative mentor partner, shares their journey and performs live.

D. The Toto Kreatives Youth Council

A child-led advisory body of creators aged 7 to 21, open by self-nomination, that co-designs the festival and holds it to account.

E. The dance showdown

Dance groups compete on stage, mentored beforehand, and the best are recognised and awarded. No full awards ceremony.

The Climax — Toto Fest Palooza

The closing celebration: confetti, a final dance-off, live performances and a highlights reel.

Mtoto News is Uniquely Positioned to Lead the Toto Kreatives Movement

Mtoto News creates content by children, for children, reaching over 5 million viewers annually across platforms, from digital news bulletins and storytelling programmes to visual art, animation, and podcast features. Beyond content, it is at the forefront of building children’s capacity in digital and media literacy: its Sauti Zetu Digital Media Training Programme has empowered children aged 7 to 17 to become confident communicators and citizen journalists, and its track record includes organising large-scale child-focused events such as the Africa Children’s Summit and the Africa Children Climate Summit, bringing children from across the continent into dialogue on rights, climate justice, health, and sustainability.

This work is guided by the P.L.A.Y.E.R.S. Model: Platforms that give children safe, visible stages; Learning through structured training in storytelling and media literacy; Access that ensures equitable participation for rural communities, children with disabilities, and girls; Yield measured in real skills, content, and policy influence; Evidence grounded in Mtoto News’ own research; Resources, advocating for dedicated budget lines and sustainable funding for children’s rights, wellness, creative and digital development, from government, donors, and the private sector alike; and Safety by Design, with child protection embedded in every initiative, including Toto Kreatives.

P – Platforms

We build safe, visible stages for children—like digital shows, training hubs, policy forums,
and festivals—to express themselves, showcase their creativity, and influence change.
➤ Toto Kreatives is one of our signature platforms, designed to spotlight the next
generation of Kenyan creators.

L – Learning

We provide structured training in digital storytelling, media literacy, content production, and ethical communication—turning curiosity into confidence.

A – Access

We ensure children from all backgrounds—including rural communities, children with
disabilities, and girls—have equitable access to digital tools and learning opportunities.

Y – Yield

Our programs deliver real impact—measured in skills gained, platforms created, content produced, and policy changes influenced. We don’t just teach; we transform.

E – Evidence

Our work is grounded in data. From national reach metrics to child participation research,
we use insights to shape our programming and prove our impact.

S – Safety by Design

Every Mtoto News initiative, including Toto Kreatives, is designed with child protection at its core. This includes onsite safeguarding policies, digital safety education, and ethical storytelling guidelines.

Child Safeguarding at Toto Kreatives

Safeguarding sits at the centre of how Mtoto News operates: it is the system the organisation is built on, and every festival policy flows from it. Mtoto News maintains a dedicated safeguarding team, and all staff are trained on safeguarding, with clear systems covering prevention, risk management, reporting, and response, across both physical and online spaces.

Safeguarding measures begin before the festival itself: parents and caregivers are engaged directly, appropriate adult supervision and chaperoning is arranged for participating children, and safe transportation is put in place, with travel insurance provided where resources allow. Venue risk assessments are conducted in partnership with venue operators to ensure spaces are safe and appropriate for children. Onsite, children are supported by trained chaperones and additional safeguarding personnel, with counsellors, medical support, and first-aid provision on standby, alongside clear emergency and escalation procedures.

Partnership & Investment Opportunities

Contributions of any size, financial or in kind, are welcome, and funds can be directed to a specific area such as children’s participation. All figures in USD.

Platinum Partner

USD 10,000+

Diamond Partner

USD 5,000

Gold Partner

USD 2,000

Bronze Partner

USD 1,000

Activation Booth Partner

USD 300

More ways to take part

Host a Kijiji

USD 10,000 per Kijiji: host or co-host a village of conversation, or a session in the Palaver. Children in your network attend free.

Sponsor a Ticket

KES 1,000 per child and KES 500 per accompanying adult, funding entry for children who could not otherwise attend.

Mentor or individual

Creatives and professionals contributing time to mentorship tracks, keynotes or fireside chats. In kind.

Toto Kreatives Youth Council

The Toto Kreatives Youth Council is a vibrant team of young creators from across Kenya who represent the voices, ideas, and dreams of children in shaping the Toto Kreatives Festival. The council leads in co-creating the festival’s programme, championing creativity, digital expression, and youth participation. Through mentorship and collaboration, they ensure that every activity reflects the true spirit of child-led innovation and storytelling.