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!
#KeMountains
Nothing can surpass the beauty of the Kenyan landscape. With forests, lakes, valleys, deserts, and jungles, the diversity of these features only lends to this fact. One prominent aspect of our nation’s geography is our mountains. Some of us love to break out a sweat, hiking up their slopes. And the greatest joy of others is snapping pictures of the majestic heights. No matter the mode of enjoyment,
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!
#KeJamhuri
The journey to Kenya’s independence began long before that evening in December of 1963 when the Kenyan flag was hoisted for the first time. It began before January 1960 when the Kenya constitutional conference was held at Lancaster House in London. It began before the emergency crisis was declared in October of 1952. And even before Mary Leakey found the first Proconsul Africanus skull on Rusinga Island in 1948.
Remember the story of...
Aliya and Rukuri
Traditional meat preservation methods have been studied and acknowledged for years. Why? Perhaps it’s because there’s been that occasional question of ‘how did people ever survive without fridges?’ Maybe it’s because as nutritionists have studied food practices from past times, it’s become clear that certain foods were cooked and enjoyed for their taste. When it comes to traditional meat dishes that held prominence in the preservation list and were among...
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
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
Our newsletters
(swipe to scroll, tap to open newsletter)