Willie, empowering change through spoken word in Kenya

Arts and culture are essential for building a safe and just world. The most effective way to promote democratic rights, freedom,  and universal human rights globally is through the support and protection of local and grassroots artists. Many artists face significant pressure and risks, and to defend democratic rights, they need both security and space to carry out their work.

A voice for change in Kenya

Willie Oeba is a spoken word artist from Kenya. For over a decade, he has been combining irony and metaphors, writing and performing to advocate for civil, political, and women’s rights in Kenya. In addition, he is involved in mentoring young artists and activists, inspiring them to become role models for social justice. His long-standing commitment to social justice and activism motivated Willie to apply to the Artists’ Safe Haven art residency and relocate to The Hague from March to June 2025. His goals aligned perfectly with the initiative’s purpose in providing rest in a safer and creative environment where he could find a renewed sense of clarity and different approaches to his artistic practice.

During his three-month stay in the Netherlands, he aimed to connect with the local artistic scene and audiences, form strong alliances, focus on wellbeing, improve his digital security skills, and work on recording a new album.

Connecting through creativity

Due to Willie’s extroverted nature, he quickly built a network with spoken word artists, musicians, and producers in the Netherlands. Building upon the networking opportunities that the programme facilitates, as Justice & Peace offers connections with people and projects tailored to the residents’ preferences, Willie reached out to initiatives he found interesting. This led him to participate in a range of events within The Hague and other cities, where he greatly enjoyed the intimate settings and interactions with the audience. The diverse events included several open mic evenings, performances at The Hague Creators open stage in April and at We the People Amsterdam in June, and a collaboration with Holland Park Media for a short documentary for the Just Peace Festival’s Party4Peace in June.

“I am sharing my own experiences and also growing. It’s self-development away from imposter syndrome, away from the things that I have learned in the past, by just being here. And this is not an overstatement: I am learning to be more organized and plan. There are things that my body is now naturally getting into which will really impact my craft and the programme.”

Wellbeing and self-reflection

Willie’s three months in the Netherlands were not without challenges, both personal and professional. Establishing a routine away from home and occasionally disconnecting from news updates from Kenya proved difficult at first. To support his wellbeing, Willie made full use of the programme’s tailor-made assistance, including a gym membership and therapy, both arranged by Justice & Peace.

Upon arrival, Willie shared that the political situation in Kenya had taken a toll on his health and that he felt a strong need to reconnect with his body. The gym membership enabled him to do just that, while also giving him a sense of community. He described meeting inspiring people there, especially in the first month when he trained daily. The discipline and consistency became achievements themselves: “As a human rights defender, you tend to forget yourself, but it is important to make time and consistently take care of yourself”, he described later.

New projects with renewed energy

Balancing rest, performing, and creating new art within three months proved to be a challenging feat. Extending the collaboration with the producers he met during his stay, Willie ultimately decided to conclude the recording of new material and album production upon his return to Kenya*. In this way, he focused more closely on taking time to recharge as well as organizing his closing event. “Poetic Justice”[1], which took place in June 2025 at The Grey Space in The Middle, explored the ways art can empower and amplify movements against injustice, corruption, and discrimination. It was an elaborate showcase of his artistic journey in the Netherlands and featured collaborative performances with other local musicians and (spoken word) artists he connected with during the Artists’ Safe Haven residency.

Joint mission and learning

A fundamental component of the artists’ stay is their participation in the Shelter City Knowledge Exchange and Capacity Strengthening sessions for human rights defenders, facilitated by Justice & Peace. Including but not limited to sessions on security management, bodywork and relaxation, self-image and care, and human rights advocacy, the programme offers structured approaches to enhancing and sustaining wellbeing, safety, and the effectiveness of their work. Being part of these sessions allowed Willie to connect with a wide community of human rights defenders and recognize the interconnectedness of the causes and challenges human rights defenders face across different countries and fields.

“I feel that being in the Netherlands and seeing things firsthand and feeling them as an artist, interacting with people, learning through knowledge exchange, through other colleagues at Justice & Peace, through other human rights defenders, will all have a big impact on my artistic practice”

After returning to Kenya, Willie expressed deep gratitude for the people and experiences that shaped his time in the Netherlands. The Justice & Peace team can only reciprocate this feeling. To stay updated on his upcoming work and the release of his new album, follow Willie Oeba on his social media channels.

* Production of the new album has concluded, and the release date is set for 12 December 2025.

[1] Poetic Justice: Spoken word & music for social change with Artists’ Safe Haven resident, Willie Oeba. Justice & Peace, June 2025.