Over Christmas I was talking with a friend, as one often does, about the state our country today.

He was expressing concern that in spite of the thriving media industry in the country, he felt there were so many large problems in the country that the media has abandoned either by omission or commission.

He felt that the media has not been vocal enough in highlighting pertinent issues of concern to people living in the so called upper market and slum residents, sympathetically referred to as informal settlements. Thus, the gap between the two sides of town has continued to widen.

However, The Big Issue Magazine is not intended to be a watchdog of the media but an instrument of not only the political change that so many Kenyans crave for but will also promote responsible journalism that will plant seeds of positive attitude and help correct biased perceptions among Kenyans and tangibly improve the lives of people living the slums of Nairobi

The Big Issue, Kenya’s premier street paper, will be a news and current affairs magazine written by professional journalists, social commentators and sold on the streets by vendors. It will highlight issues mostly left out by the mainstream media. It will be a monthly publication.

It will provide an inspiring mix of cutting edge news of both local and regional relevance, often breaking exclusive stories which are picked up by the rest of the media, as well as campaigns, hard hitting exposes, entertainment news, arts reviews and general interest features.

The Big Issue Kenya will be at the forefront of promoting new talent in music and the arts, and will develop a reputation for upcoming and big name celebrity exclusives.

The Big Issue will be sold by vendors recruited from youth groups in Nairobi City slums. These are young people who are jobless and are looking for an opportunity to earn income. For this reason, the vendors will earn 50 per cent of the cover price as their commission. Each vendor will be given the first five copies for free.

The Big Issue offers hope and the means to move away from begging, crime and ultimately street life. The Big Issue vendors agree to work with us to move their lives forward, gaining the skills and confidence to get into work.

The Big Issue vendors are therefore working, not begging, and they are not soliciting donations. Rather they are entrepreneurs seeking to maximise their own income through hard work. By buying and reading the magazine, you are helping to create employment and alleviate poverty.
Welcome and read on our first issue. Please feel free to give us a feedback by writing letters to the editor.