Sekoya was birthed as Suza World in 2016 by Sharon Zarita, a craft artist and creative economy advocate. Suza World produced customized craft invitations and stationery to enhance the guest experience in social gatherings. In it’s two years of operation the organization produced over 2000 craft items. It initiated a community arts program “Tengeza” (to make in Swahili) for deaf children run voluntarily by creative entrepreneurs in Kenya.

Programming was paused in 2018 when Zarita left Kenya for postgraduate studies in Arts Management in Canada. Through knowledge acquired in her studies and working with different arts organizations in Canada, Zarita resolved to equip budding artists with the right professional and psychosocial tools for them to scale their careers. Hence the rebirth of Suza World in its new name Sekoya.

Sekoya has been coined from ‘sequoia’ - the redwood tree species that is known to support the life of other species. It symbolises wellness, safety, wisdom, communication and longevity. We write it ‘Sekoya’ to reflect its connotative pronunciation in Swahili, the most intercultural language spoken in East Africa. Just like its inspiration from the redwood tree, Sekoya is here to walk the journey with East Africans in crafts and culture who are just beginning to identify, nurture and thrive their careers in the arts. For us, this creative journey is better when not walked in solitude and richer when there is a professional cushion to lean into.