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!
#KeVolunteers
Africans have practised communal living for centuries; it is woven into the fabric of our cultures, and the modern age is no different. Individuals give of themselves – not for their personal benefit, but for the good of their environment and the society at large. In a capitalistic world, a person who takes on a task without the expectation of payment is referred to as a volunteer. Such an
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!
#KeMonuments
The word ‘monument’ is familiar to many. The Constitution of Kenya defines them as places or immovable structures of any age which are of public interest due to the architectural, artistic, archaeological, historic or traditional wonders attached to them. Without these sites, much of history would be lost to the marching of time. Our monuments keep history alive by reminding us of lives and events that shaped the shared
Remember the story of...
Beneath The Surface
More and more, we see conversations on internal well-being taking centre stage, and rightfully so. Without better understanding of prevalent issues surrounding mental and emotional health, how are we to be ideal people in society? Beneath the Surface Podcast looks into mental health, emotional health and general wellness. Started by long-time friends, Shiru Waweru and Sylvia Wanjira, the duo wanted to facilitate conversations about mental health where self-awareness was encouraged and self-reflection could take place....
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
LOVE AND IMPACT
Love and impact drive us as human beings. These themes are evident in the #KeExcellence s and #KeInnovators stories that celebrate Kenyans whose accomplishments have been recognized and awarded on global stages. Through these stories, we’ve learned a couple of things. The first is that it’s never too late to reset and restart. Passion was another factor that stood out across all the stories. It set them apart from their contemporaries and the result? International recognition. If this isn’t an ode to the saying, ‘You can do anything you set your mind to.’ So, as we continue taking strides through life, let’s be inspired to be the best at what we’re doing – whether it’s chasing dreams or pursuing ventures we are passionate about. Just remember to always do it with a smile.
TEAM PAUKWA
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