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!
#KeMusicians: Veteran Edition
Music begins with sound. The sound might come from nature, or an instrument, or simply the human voice. Next comes the process of arranging one sound after another to create rhythm and melody. This art form predates recorded history and has possibly been around since the dawn of time. For thousands of years, there was no way to capture music except through live performances; musicians were the safekeepers of
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!
#KeDesigners: Sustainable Fashion
Fashion is more than just clothing or jewellery or accessories; it is a language that speaks volumes about our identity, beliefs, and aspirations. In a world where our interactions with individuals are often shaped by their outward appearances, we invite you to look beyond the consumers and into the dynamic realm of the producers – the designers. Welcome to #KeDesigners, a story collection that delves into the vibrant world
Remember the story of...
Paul Kaluki
When Kaluki Paul reflects on his younger years, he fondly recalls his life at seven years old. While many children around him were more concerned with playground games, he took an interest in wildlife. Everything about the different species that roamed freely in the wild fascinated him. Engrossed by pictures and facts, he joined a newly introduced school wildlife club called Bushbaby Wildlife Club. Three months in, he and the...
Our audio stories
A note from our team
CULTURE AND HERITAGE
One of our favourite things about writing stories at Paukwa is that there’s always something new to learn about Kenya. Sometimes it's through retelling the narratives that we have come to accept, and other times it's just about appreciating the people and the places that make us proud. We’re constantly challenging the norms and asking ourselves how we can celebrate different facets of Kenyan history and culture. Through our #OnlyInKenya story series, we learnt that one of the reasons that Kenyan communities told stories was to explain the unexplainable. Take the Crying Stone for instance, Ikhongo Murwi. The Luhya community has a story that explains why it cries from time to time. Creativity at its best, we’d say. And that’s just one of many incredible stories from Western Kenya. There are more of those in Paukwa’s repository which have been specially curated to spotlight trailblazers, hidden gems, and creations that hail from this region.
TEAM PAUKWA
A note from our team
VALUE-BASED EDUCATION
One of the greatest joys of working at Paukwa is the energy that our team exudes and the enthusiasm we have to tell the stories of Kenya creatively. In February 2020 we embarked on a new journey – to create content for children. These are stories of ordinary Kenyans who have chosen to live their lives with purpose, are doing their best with what they have, or striving each day to give back to their communities in myriad ways. Our value-based education initiative gave us the opportunity to bring these stories to life through the Hummingbird Tales animated series and accompanying guidebooks. Each Kenyan child sitting at home or school can learn the values that promote our collective wellbeing and citizenry. So, take some time today or this week to share a screen (whether big or small) with a child or children and enjoy with them stories of Kenyans showing up and building the 254.
TEAM PAUKWA
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