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!
#KeSchools
The scramble for Africa is a historical time period that we have either heard or read or learned about. One of the things that preceded the wars for the respective African states was missionary work. From around the world, missionaries docked at the different shores and began the work – and part of this work was establishing mission stations that had literary programs. In Kenya, we had missionary
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!
#StreetsOfMombasa
Mombasa. A city. An island. Did you know that there was once a time when Mombasa was the place several prominent people coveted? It was her strategic location by the Indian Ocean. Her meaningful relationship with the spice markets that made ships dock at her port every other week. Mombasa is her name today, but initially the Arabs said Manbasa. Her present name was given to her in 1502. Though her history
Remember the story of...
Sophie Otiende: Providing Support for Human Trafficking Survivors
Community does not have to mean your blood relatives; it can be the people who actively and intentionally choose to build healthy relationships with you. As the founder of Azadi, a Nairobi-based survivor collective, Sophie Otiende recognises the fundamental importance of using your community to transform, heal and ultimately achieve justice. Through her work at Azadi and her role as the Chief Executive Officer at the Global Fund to End...
Our audio stories
A note from our team
THE POWER OF STORIES
At Team Paukwa, we never tire of celebrating the power of stories. It is the very essence of our mission and the fuel that drives our work. We firmly believe in the transformative impact of storytelling for social change. Moreover, we take great joy in spotlighting the creatives who are actively reshaping the narrative of Kenya through their storytelling prowess. These individuals are catalysts for change, weaving tales that challenge stereotypes, elevate unheard voices, and ignite conversations that matter. We're excited to delve into our treasure trove of stories—our vault—that showcases their journeys and contributions. From budding writers to seasoned filmmakers, each story reflects the profound impact of storytelling in driving positive change. Eager to learn more? Check out the stories that Kenyan creatives have produced in #KeFilms, #KePodcasts and #KeReads.
TEAM PAUKWA
A note from our team
THE SDGS AND YOU
Have you heard about the SDGs? The collective global goals that serve not just people but the planet? #OurGoalGetters story collection has stories of 17 incredible Kenyans working towards each of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While preparing the collection, we were delighted to find countless Kenyans striving every day to build a sustainable future for the country. It is no doubt that Kenyans are working! From our forests to our seas, our schools, our institutions and even our homes, these Kenyans have taken the liberty of re-imagining the ways our world needs to change and then put their ideas to action. They are raising their voices, leveraging partnerships, bringing communities together and using every tool within their reach to ensure nothing less than the best for future generations. In discovering the expansive work being done right under our noses, we asked ourselves one question: “What is the everyday person’s role in contributing to the achievement of the SDGs?” We hope the insights inspire from this collection help you to take a second look at your surroundings and identify where you can support the realisation of these global goals.
TEAM PAUKWA
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