Nairobi — The Coca-Cola Company, through its Sprite brand, has partnered with Safaricom PLC to roll out a nationwide creator programme targeting young digital content creators.
Dubbed the Hook'd on Fresh Masterclass Series, the initiative will run across four university campuses, starting at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), and is expected to reach about 40,000 students.
The programme will feature top Kenyan digital creators including Carrie Wahu, Tileh Pacbro, Charisma and dance group Cluster KE, focusing on content creation, trends, virality and audience engagement.
Participants will also take part in hands-on sessions supported by Safaricom's Hook platform and data products.
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Alongside the masterclasses, the partners have launched the Hook'd on Fresh UGC Challenge, a national digital competition encouraging youth to create short-form videos across themes such as music, sports, fashion and comedy.
The challenge will reward 403 creators across nine tiers, with cash prizes ranging from Sh3,000 to Sh20,000, alongside smartphones and data bundles.
Juliana Kituma, Marketing Director at Coca-Cola Kenya, said the initiative is part of Sprite's broader youth-focused campaign.
"By partnering with Safaricom, the network that powers the digital lives of millions of young Kenyans, Sprite is creating a seamless bridge between physical activation and digital participation," she said.
Fawzia Ali-Kimanthi, Chief Consumer Business Officer at Safaricom, said the programme aims to equip youth with practical tools to tap into opportunities in the digital economy.
"Through our partnership with Sprite, we are putting real tools, real skills and real rewards directly into the hands of the next generation of creators," she said.
The initiative also includes the Safaricom Hook Green Couch, a mobile "podcast on wheels" offering students a platform to share experiences and ideas.
The rollout underscores growing investment by corporates in Kenya's digital content economy as more young people turn to online platforms for income and entrepreneurship.
