There are pillars that one must align themselves with in order to be successful. They are different for different people, but essentially knowing yourself and having a goal helps you find the pillars that work best for you. Natalie Wambui has and continues to reap the benefits borne from the four pillars that push her forward. She is only 11 years old, yet she has published three books, has traveled around the world to discuss these books, and she motivates writers of all ages.

In her younger years, Natalie was that kiddo that loved to read. In the evenings, when nothing else seemed to grab her attention, the little fiction tales were her favourite to devour. The story formats, the plots, the characters all seemed to pull her into their worlds. And when she wasn’t flipping through pages of literature, she was familiarizing herself with the current affairs in Kenya through newspapers. Either which way, she was always reading something. It concerned her though that the stories about Kenya were negative and foul, and while they were true facts, she believed that there were good stories, silently sitting in the crevices of our country.

Sadly, a little later, Natalie was diagnosed with a heart issue that required immediate attention. The procedure went well but the recovery process meant long days in a boring hospital ward. Even her books weren’t enough to keep her entertained. Her doctor advised her to journal her recovery process, focusing, but not limited to, her thoughts and emotions. The young reader liked the idea and so she started her writing. Eventually, the daily “dear diary” morphed into letters. Natalie wrote letters to herself, then she started writing to her mother, her doctors, and even to God. She enjoyed every minute of the chemistry between her mind, her fingers, her pen, and her notepad.
Once she was back in school, her writing spirit continued to bloom. She maintained her reading habit (after all, it couldn’t be taken away from her) wrote just as much. Then there came a time when her creative tingle craved more – and because of this, she discovered the art of poetry.

Now, unlike reading and journaling, poetry needed more work. As a person who enjoyed the idea of learning and trying new things, Natalie sought her schoolteacher’s guidance. All she had to do was ask, and her Mwalimu was happy to help. This guidance formed the first draft of Natalie’s first book ‘Natalie’s Poems’. The manuscript focused on inspirational poems answering simple questions in life and when her mother brought home the first physical copy in 2016, Natalie was ecstatic.

The joy of having her first book out only gave Natalie the morale to keep writing. Her mind returned to the news headlines and negative narratives that lined the newspapers. As a young Kenyan, she knew there were good, unwritten stories lying around, and this formed the basis of her second book ‘Kenya: My Country, My Story’. This time she focused on the hummingbirds, the ones we call our #PaukwaPeople – the Kenyans who have made a positive difference in our country. Furthermore, she structured her content to include suggestions on ways Kenyans can be united. The book was well-received and made Natalie known as the young, talented patriot.

In April 2018, Natalie released her third book: a motivational volume dubbed ‘Extraordinary Kenyans doing Extraordinary things’. The book featured 40 story profiles of 20 men and 20 women across different occupation fields. She noted their individual journeys, the challenges they had to overcome and how they have pushed Kenya forward.
Natalie’s pillars have played a major part in her advancement as a writer and her growth as a young girl. She is a Paukwa Kid through and through, and we wish her the best as she continues to refine her craft. We are certainly looking forward to seeing her on the world’s best-seller list. Hongera Natalie!