Paukwa? Pakawa!
Paukwa is a place dedicated to positive stories about Kenya. Our story house is named for the Swahili word that is an invitation to a story – Paukwa. It’s an age- old term, well known across East Africa. Paukwa invites one to remember the joy of stories from their childhood days and to get lost in new, familiar or unknown ideas about the daily things that surround us.
Each day ordinary Kenyans are pushing our nation forward. As volunteers, as SME owners, as creatives, teachers, farmers, counsellors, techwizards and more. There is a bigger story as they build our nation each day through their tenacity, hard work, positive attitude, search for excellence, and sheer hustle.
Through their efforts we all grow.
At Paukwa, we shine a spotlight on the everyday builders of our nation and the history we almost forgot.
This digital storybank celebrates memory, culture, modernity, but most of all, the positive. Dive in and discover a story of Kenya you didn’t know you never knew!
#VyakulaVyetu
What better place to tell a story than by the bubbling stew which sits on a three-stoned fire? As the aroma of the food mingle with the tantalizing details of the tale, the memories of these stories plant themselves deep in our mind. Food brings us together in a peculiar way. With it, we signal special seasons. When we feast together, it encourages relationship and fosters the vulnerable
Paukwa? Pakawa!
Paukwa is a place dedicated to positive stories about Kenya. Our story house is named for the Swahili word that is an invitation to a story – Paukwa. It’s an age- old term, well known across East Africa. Paukwa invites one to remember the joy of stories from their childhood days and to get lost in new, familiar or unknown ideas about the daily things that surround us.
Each day ordinary Kenyans are pushing our nation forward. As volunteers, as SME owners, as creatives, teachers, farmers, counsellors, techwizards and more. There is a bigger story as they build our nation each day through their tenacity, hard work, positive attitude, search for excellence, and sheer hustle.
Through their efforts we all grow.
At Paukwa, we shine a spotlight on the everyday builders of our nation and the history we almost forgot.
This digital storybank celebrates memory, culture, modernity, but most of all, the positive. Dive in and discover a story of Kenya you didn’t know you never knew!
#StreetsOfNairobi
Paukwa? Pakawa…! We are taking a trip down memory lane in the place of cool waters. Originally known as Nyrobi, the capital has grown over a century to a thriving metropolis. Question is how well do you know the past and present of this city?
Remember the story of...
Your Dreams Are Valid – Lupita Nyong’o
Black Girl Magic. The three words that describe Lupita Amondi Nyong’o. Remember her aura at the 2014 Oscars? We saw that Black Girl Magic on a stage facing a crowd of award-winning entertainers, charismatic and compelling. For some, the thought of a public speech would cause jitters but when you’re about to receive your first Oscar, let’s just say you’d probably suppress the anxiety and embody a new confidence. After...
Our audio stories
A note from our team
ON GRATITUDE
Allow us to take a moment of reflection. We are grateful for the journey of time, for the learnings we have experienced about our country as we have spent time in archives, in interviews, on bumpy roads crisscrossing the nation, in online rabbit holes in our quest to build stories of Kenya. We are incredibly grateful for the community of readers we have and all the feedback, thumbs up, questions and exclamations that you have shared. We have enjoyed spending time in new spaces bringing our story collections alive in forums, on panels, in festivals and in virtual settings. Through each of these endeavours we are continually sharpened by others, we have found our tribe of individuals and collectives as curious as we are about our history, and we are comforted and emboldened by the reminders that we are not alone on our quest and indeed – this work of narrative shaping, of history building, of spotlight shining is important. With reflection comes gratitude, introspection, and hope and so we thank you for being part of our Paukwa journey.
TEAM PAUKWA
A note from our team
THE POWER OF KINDNESS
When we think about the virtues that adorn the professional realm, certain traits like determination, tenacity, and hard work often take centre stage. These qualities, undoubtedly commendable, drive success and accomplishment. Yet, amid the cacophony of accolades, there exists a subtle hero – kindness. In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, kindness often stands in the shadows, its profound impact obscured by the more visible triumphs of grit and ambition. It’s time to change that narrative. Welcome to this edition of our newsletter, where we illuminate the transformative power of kindness and the indelible marks it leaves on the lives it touches. This newsletter is a dedicated space to shine a spotlight on acts of kindness, both big and small, that ripple through the fabric of our shared human experience. As you turn the pages of this month’s edition, immerse yourself in narratives that demonstrate the profound impact of kindness-stories that inspire and remind us of the strength inherent in compassionate actions. Now, dear readers, we invite you to join us in this celebration. Reflect on the kindness you’ve witnessed or experienced and consider how you, too, can be an agent of positive change. How can you be more intentional about practicing kindness in your daily life?
TEAM PAUKWA
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