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!
#KenyanLore
Superstitions, myths, and lore are not unique concepts. They are universal, deeply rooted in people's beliefs and ideas of morality, passed down through generations. These narratives have a profound impact on the way we see the world. Around the world, various cultures dedicate certain days to lean into the spooky and supernatural aspects of their narratives. We are doing the same, but in our own distinctive Kenyan way. In
Remember the story of...
Remember the story of...
Rebecca Njeri
One of the most effective ways that the colonising powers of the 20th century maintained their dominance over Africa was through education. Schools were used to transmit European values and condemn African ones. At the same time, access to higher learning for Africans was limited and so were opportunities for formal employment. This allowed the British to use Africans’ skill to advance imperialism while keeping them in dependent positions. It...
Our audio stories
A note from our team
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
Just like our fingerprints, we are all unique and different. Our backgrounds, experiences, values, belief systems, ideas and points of view vary. Yet amidst these differences, all our voices have places they belong to in the community. At Paukwa, we’re keen on telling the stories of the authentic Kenyan experience, and that can only be possible with the acknowledgement of our varying cultures, socio-economic backgrounds, generations, and abilities. For this, we are joining the world in championing for inclusivity in our magical way by sharing stories of Kenyans in #DisabilityNotInability who in their work and everyday lives strive to create room for others to belong.
TEAM PAUKWA
A note from our team
CELEBRATING THE EARTH
We only get one home, or one planet to call home. The idea of the existential threat of climate change often feels too heavy or distant to contemplate, but if we are indeed to be the stewards who keep our shared home viable for us all, that’s exactly what we need to do – contemplate, then act! Thankfully there are many everyday champions who do act – as stewards, as changemakers, as earth warriors and we are happy to have shared their stories in our collection #OurGreenHeroes. Through their actions we all are a bit closer to keeping this shared home of ours safe for all who inhabit it. We urge you to do your “little thing” like Wangari Maathai – reduce your plastic use, plant a tree, teach a child about environmental action because as Margaret Mead once said, “never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has”.
TEAM PAUKWA
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