Santuri was founded in 2013 to help reshape the East African music ecosystem and address the inequities that limit access, create risk, and exclude many — especially women and non-male identifying practitioners. Building safe, inclusive, and accountable creative spaces has always been central to our work.

In 2021, a survey of over 300 music practitioners highlighted widespread challenges: lack of safe creative environments, and regular experiences of harassment, bullying, and exclusion. These findings informed the design of the Santuri Electronic Music Academy (SEMA), which remains grounded in equity, safety, and clear community standards.

We recognise that safeguarding is an ongoing responsibility. As Santuri has grown, we have strengthened our internal systems to make sure we are meeting this responsibility with professionalism and care.

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Safeguarding Work Undertaken in 2025

To improve our structures and ensure accountability across the organisation, Santuri undertook a comprehensive safeguarding and organisational culture review throughout 2025. This work focused on:

1. Strengthening People & Culture

• Engaging a consultant to guide and support the development of safeguarding and wellbeing functions across all programmes. This has included integrating trauma-informed and mental-health–aware practices into facilitator training and curriculum design in Santuri Electronic Music Academy (SEMA).

2. Clearer Reporting and Accountability Systems

• Expanding community-wide safeguarding surveys.
  
  
• Conducting individual staff interviews on culture, safety, and communication.
  
  
• Developing a structured reporting and follow-up system to ensure concerns are addressed consistently and transparently.
  
  

3. Policy and Governance Updates

• Reviewing and updating the Human Resource Manual, Standard Operating Procedures, and Personal Relationships Policy with staff input.
  
  
• Aligning all processes with Kenya’s current safeguarding, mental wellness, and workplace legislation.
  
  

4. Team Capacity Building

• Delivering a series of  full-day workshops on communication, boundaries, conflict resolution, and values alignment.
  
  
• Introducing practical tools for leadership and conflict reconciliation
  
  

This work is ongoing and will continue into 2026 as policies are finalised and operationalised.

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Current Safeguarding Case

Earlier this year, we introduced a safeguarding reporting tool to help us understand how well we are supporting our community. Within the last month, we received a report through this channel.

We are currently following a structured process involving:

• engagement with the reporter,
  
  
• assessment by external safeguarding professionals, and
  
  
• information gathering from the individual named in the report.
  
  

We know that information about this case is circulating informally. We understand the desire for clarity, but we must protect the integrity and fairness of the process. Based on legal and professional safeguarding advice, we cannot comment on an active investigation. However, we can confirm that the process is underway, and that it follows established safeguarding standards.

The reporting tool remains open for anyone in our community who wishes to share information, anonymously or otherwise:

https://forms.gle/w6sFjE4yg3v2tx9W8

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Our Ongoing Commitment

The focus on safeguarding within Santuri has been as a response to Santuri’s growing influence within the sector, and to concerns raised within the community about safety both around the Santuri ecosystem and in wider nightlife and music circles.

We recognise that safeguarding requires continuous attention and improvement, we are committed to addressing current challenges and building a more robust culture of care. Next steps include:

• completing the current investigation with fairness, care, and professionalism;
  
  
• implementing the strengthened reporting and accountability systems developed this year; and
  
  
• ensuring our programmes reflect the needs and wellbeing of the communities we serve.
  
  

As the investigation progresses, we will share outcomes with the reporter and, where appropriate, with the wider Santuri community. We remain committed to creating safer, more transparent, and more accountable creative spaces.

David, on behalf of the Santuri leadership team