The screening was a special occasion not only for the community but also for the legacy of Phelgone Atieno Jacks, the inspiring founder of Pal Omega Community-Based Organisation, whose life and fight against HIV-Aids stigma and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) was celebrated in the film.
In the emotional documentary, she was presented to the audience as a champion, a teacher and a source of emotional support in the community around her. She advocated safe sex and encouraged young girls and women to carry female condoms with them, a precaution she believed would make them less vulnerable to unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections.
Phelgone was undeterred by her circumstances. Living in the slums and a victim of gender-based violence herself, she went to great lengths to change the lives of the women she took under her wing in the Pal Omega support group for persons living with HIV-Aids.
The community event was attended by Kisumu First Lady Dorothy Nyong’o, who delivered a heartfelt keynote address. Mrs Nyong’o, visibly moved by the film, spoke about the importance of sharing Mama Phelgone’s story and the honour of hosting the Kisumu premiere in Manyatta, the very place where Phelgone’s work had made an incredible impact.
“I wish I could have met Mama Phelgone in person,” she tearfully remarked after watching the film for the first time with the rest of the audience. She said she hopes we can all learn from the example Mama Phelgone set. She also recognised Phelgone’s son, Michael, urging him to continue his mother’s vital work.The screening attracted a diverse group of stakeholders, including representatives from Kenya Red Cross, KMET, Nephak, the Africa Cancer Foundation, the Safe Water and Aids Project and The Rahil Kotak, as well as residents. The event created a special moment for the community to reflect on the extraordinary work of Mama Phelgone, a mother figure to all, who devoted her life to supporting those living with HIV and SGBV in Manyatta.
At the end of the event, Mrs Nyong’o presented Pal Omega with a special gift: a Dholuo copy of ‘Sulwe’, a book writen by her daughter Lupita Nyong’o, which highlights the important issue of colourism among young Black girls.
The event also featured a panel discussion with the film's award-winning director and producer, Kiana Rawji, who shared her personal connection to the story. Rawji, a Canadian filmmaker who created the documentary in 2022 while studying film and history at Harvard University, explained how she first met Phelgone through her elder sister Zahra several years ago.
“I was struck by Mama Phelgone’s strength and grace, and I knew I had to document her story,” Rawji said. Her goal was to tell a story of empowerment, joy and resilience without sugarcoating harsh realities, rather than the stereotypical narratives often associated with African communities.
Rawji’s ‘Mama of Manyatta’ has already screened at prestigious festivals worldwide, including the 2023 Zanzibar International Film Festival, where it received a Special Jury Mention, as well as the Pan-African Film Festival in Los Angeles, and the Essence Film Festival in New Orleans.
In the past couple of years, it has also screened at the Nanji Family Foundation Auditorium at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto and the Cardel Theatre in Calgary. The Kisumu screening was particularly special as it marked the film’s premiere in the very community where it was filmed. Rawji remarked that this was the most important screening of all.
The event was a testament to the power of storytelling and the lasting impact of Mama Phelgone’s work and legacy, which Pal Omega carries on today. The audience left with heaviness and grief for Phelgone’s passing, but also a shared sense of inspiration, reflection and commitment to continue the work that she started.
