A FAN’S REVIEWOF JACKSON BIKO’S DRUNK
Nervousness and excitement is what I felt when Biko announced his ‘small’ first book. The excitement is easy to explain. He is an exemplary writer who has managed to acquire … Continue reading
JULY WRITER OF THE MONTH: UPDATE
This was meant to be an easy prompt, but the kind of stories we got did not reflect that. There is no winner this month. Instead, here’s an article from The … Continue reading
JULY WRITER OF THE MONTH
It’s not Thursday yet, but how about we go a lil ol’skool with this one? We’re taking you back to a time when we had to write pages and pages … Continue reading
AND THE WINNER IS….
This month we got so many amazing stories that the editors had a very hard time choosing just one, but it had to be done. The WRITER OF THE MONTH: … Continue reading
CALL OUT: JUNE EDITION
Hallo, ladies and gents. It’s yet another time when we’re looking for your stories for a chance to be our WRITER OF THE MONTH: JUNE. Here is your prompt: … Continue reading
WRITER OF THE MONTH: MAY
It was a tough challenge, and some really good writers rose to the occasion. And the winner is… EDDY NGETA. The judges felt that the writer tried to put some … Continue reading
BLACK PEACE. BE CREATIVE.
As a pre 2017 Storymoja Festival activity, this contest is open to ALL schools. Any child can participate as long as they meet the guidelines. Please spread the word … Continue reading
ROOM OF LOST NAMES
In the play “Room of Lost Names” the young woman finds herself in a mysterious place, which defies the rules of her known world. She soon realises she is … Continue reading
CALL OUT:LOOKING FOR STORIES
LISTEN UP, writers far and wide! Here’s your chance to be WRITER OF THE MONTH:MAY. Exciting,huh? All you have to do is send in a 1000-word maximum story on the … Continue reading
CALLING ALL WRITERS!
So you’ve written a few stories here and there, ‘meaningful’ Facebook posts that people loved and you’re now looking for another home for the stories that circle around in your … Continue reading
Could You Be A Storymoja Festival Blogger?
Every year, the Storymoja Festival enrolls bloggers into a 6 month program of fellowship, creative writing support, and training all of which leads up to the 5-day program at the festival.
Storymoja Festival Turns 10 Years Old!
Storymoja is pleased to announce the dates of the 2017 Storymoja Festival! After taking place in Accra, Ghana in 2016, the Storymoja Festival will return to Nairobi on the 27th … Continue reading
The Silent Housewife Part V – #FinishtheStoryFriday Written by Ndey Ngoneh Jeng [@YaayiBayam]
The humid weather jolted me out of my confusion as soon as I stepped outside. That speech was merely a therapy tactic. It had to be! What woman in her … Continue reading
2nd Kofi Awoonor Memorial Address Delivered by Afetsi Awoonor on 20th September 2015
“I would like my father to be remembered, as he wanted. As Africans, and especially as African writers, we owe it to our fathers such as Kofi Awoonor, Chinua Achebe and so on to weave new ropes where they left off. “
The Silent Housewife IV – #FinishtheStoryFriday written by Nana Adwoa Amponsah Mensah [@Ms_AAjay]
I blinked at her. Why was she telling me this? I had walked in single-mindedly that morning seeking help with killing Ola. Or maybe I just wanted someone to convince … Continue reading
Kofi Awoonor Memorial Address: Nairobi Calls Again
On Saturday 21st September 2013, one of Africa’s most celebrated poet and lead guest, Professor Kofi Awoonor, lost his life in the horrible Westgate Mall terrorist attack. Two years on, … Continue reading
The Wangari Maathai Memorial Lecture delivered at @StorymojaFest by UNEP’s Chief Scientist Jacqueline McGlade
Since 2012, the Storymoja Festival has been honoured to host The Wangari Maathai Memorial Lecture in partnership with the Green Belt Movement. In 2014, the Lecture was delivered by Wole … Continue reading
Mwito kwa Waandishi na Wahariri
Tunazitaka hadithi zako. Tunazihitaji hadithi zako. Tunahitaji hadithi za KWETU. Hadithi za kweli, hadithi za kibunilizi, hadithi za kifantasia, zinazobadilisha maisha ya wasomaji, hadithi za kiasili na nyingine nyinginezo. Tunahitaji … Continue reading
Strange Things Happen! Nyef Nyef Storytellers at the Storymoja Festival
Saturday 19th September @ The Storymoja Festival 1.30pm – 3.30pm at the Nairobi Arboretum: Family Show Dance and Nyef Nyef Storytelling Koroga: Experience a fusion of dance and storytelling. Nyef Nyef … Continue reading
Call Out for Writers and Editors – Storymoja / Start a Library
We want your stories. We need your stories. We need OUR stories. True stories, adventure stories, fantasy stories, life changing stories, traditional stories and more. Stories from the coast, from the lake, from the mountain, from the great rift, stories from the North. Stories in English and Kiswahili. And we need YOU to write them for a revolutionary campaign that will excite and engage the nation.
The Silent Housewife III – #FinishtheStoryFriday
Read this continuation of The Silent Housewife written by Delali Kumapley. The #FinishTheStoryFriday series is in partnership with #BlackWomenBeLike [@BlackWomenBLike on Twitter]. This cycle we’re celebrating the stories of black women in West Africa!
Tell #StoryYetu with @EasyTaxi and win with The Storymoja Festival!
Win 2 Tickets to the Storymoja Festival courtesy of Easy Taxi! Here’s how you can participate. Provide an interesting ending to the end in this tweet: Once upon a … Continue reading
The Silent Housewife Part II
Read this continuation of The Silent Housewife written by Adebola Rayo. The #FinishTheStoryFriday series is in partnership with #BlackWomenBeLike [@BlackWomenBLike on Twitter]. This cycle we’re celebrating the stories of black women in West Africa!
The Silent Housewife Part I
Our #FinishTheStoryFriday series in partnership with #BlackWomenBeLike is back and we’re celebrating the stories of black women in West Africa!
30 Years Ago – Editor’s Choice
“The main rule of writing is that if you do it with enough assurance and confidence, you’re allowed to do whatever you like. (That may be a rule for life … Continue reading
Job Opportunity: Social Media Community Manager
Position: Social Media Community Manager Are you an avid reader of books, digital books and blogs? Do you believe that the success of our country depends on the literacy … Continue reading
Thank You for Submitting / See Photo Contest
In the meantime, we want to celebrate reading in the weeks leading to the Storymoja Festival. So, in addition to begging you to share your reading lists so we can expand our reading horizons, we will be encouraging you to participate in little reading challenges. Benefits are possible wins of festival tickets, books and other goodies. So let’s have fun reading.
13 Year Old Joseph Bokea Launches Novel, Magic
Storymoja on Saturday launched a fantasy fiction novel, Magic, authored by a thirteen year-old Joseph Bokea at a grand function held at the Goethe Institut Nairobi.
Do You Believe in Magic? 13 Year Old Novelist to Launch Book
Come meet the author, listen to readings and get autographed books!
When: Saturday 18th July, 2015
Time: 10.30am – 1. 30pm
Entry: FREE!
Job Opportunity: Reading Revolutionary
If you love reading, know that non-curricula books can change lives, and are an activist at heart, you might be the right person to join our reading revolution team. Uwezo … Continue reading
Thirty Years Ago, Today… – July Short Story Call Out
The July Short Story Challenge: This time we are thinking of a blast from the past. A mystery… maybe it was solved, maybe it has never been solved. It could … Continue reading
Babishai Poetry Festival to paint Kampala lyrically, August 26 to 28, at The Uganda Museum
“This year, we are honoured to host world-wide leading voices in poetry and to share the landscape with impressive and mind-blowing talent across Uganda.”
Opportunity for Creative Writers www.blissful.co.ke
Huge Africa was started with a simple, yet powerful idea—to build a digital first media company focused on African women. Our mission is to help niche networks of women; create, … Continue reading
PRESS RELEASE: STORYMOJA READ ALOUD BREAKS THE WORLD RECORD!
The Storymoja Read Aloud final official tally has unofficially broken the World Record for Most People Reading Aloud from the Same Text at the Same Time from Different Venues!
Celebrating David Mulwa @ 70 1st July 2015
David Kakuta Mulwa has made a tremendous contribution to our society as a teacher, thespian, writer and mentor in a career spanning 50 years. He has 19 books to his … Continue reading
Babishai Poetricks – An Experience for Every Child
16 June 2015, The Day of The African Child, saw the launch #babishaipoetricks, the children’s adventure toolkit. Babishai Poetricks is the largest program under the Kampala based Babishai Niwe Poetry … Continue reading
8 Libraries in 4 Days! 22nd to 26th June 2015
Start A Library has partnered with Varkey Foundation and Gems Cambridge International School to start 22 libraries across the country, 8 of which are in Nairobi. Part of our team … Continue reading
Announcing the Jury For The Wole Soyinka Prize & New Advisory Board
The Lumina Foundation which administers the Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa based in Lagos, Nigeria with an office in Accra, Ghana, has announced the composition of the Jury … Continue reading
2015 Morland Writing Scholarships For African Writers Inviting Entries starting today June 15
The Miles Morland Foundation is pleased to announce that the 2015 Morland Writing Scholarships for African writers will open for entries on Monday 15th June. The deadline for submissions is … Continue reading
At 9am on Monday 15th June, 2015, take 30 minutes to help us break this record!
Let us change the reading culture in Kenya! USA holds the world record for the most readers reading aloud from the same book at the same time – 233,000 … Continue reading
Apply To Intern as a Storymoja Festival Intern
A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies… The man who never reads lives only one… (George R.R. Martin) PURPOSE OF INTERNSHIP To provide an opportunity for 75 talented, … Continue reading
We Have a Winner! – Under 500 Words Fiction Challenge
We have a winner! After much deliberation, the Storymoja Editors have finally agreed on a winner for the Flash Fiction Challenge! And the winner is… The Old Heart by Peter … Continue reading
Call For Submission: African Moonsongs Of New Dawn
New Craft Publishers are calling out to African poets to submit their poems for consideration in a coming anthology to be edited by Akwu Ene’jo Adeyi and Vincent de Paul. … Continue reading
Ankara Press – Call For Submissions – May 2015
Ankara Press is a fresh new voice publishing romantic fiction for the African market, and is devoted to publishing easy-to-read, purse-size books with African settings, storylines and characters. Ankara Press … Continue reading
PRESS RELEASE: 5-Day Writivism Festival (June 16th – 22nd 2015, Kampala, UG) + Early Bird Offer
Writivism is an annual Literary Festival held every June in Kampala, Uganda featuring leading contemporary writers. Celebrating its 3rd edition this year, the festival guest list boasts of authors, academics, bloggers, journalists, critics, … Continue reading
13 Year Old Author to make Appearance at Regional Storymoja Festival in Nakuru!
You may have heard – the Storymoja Festival is making its first regional stopover in Nakuru at the Kenya National Library Services on May 28 – 30, 2015. What exciting … Continue reading
Under 500 Words – May Short Story
Let’s try our hand at this this month – really short fiction; flash fiction.
The May Storymoja Challenge is to write a complete story in under 500 words. Send in your work in a word document attachment to blogs@storymojaafrica.co.ke.
Subject Title of your Submission Email Should Be: Under 500 Words
Friendly Fire – Editor’s Choice [April Short Story]
Tracy Kidder and Richard Todd who are both writers and editors of different forms of writing, gave these insights into writing which you might find useful: 1. To write is … Continue reading
Kwani? Trust to Host 2014 Etisalat Prize for Literature Winner + Longhorn Publishers
For the second year running, Kwani Trust has collaborated with the Etisalat Prize for Literature award to host Africa’s newest literary honoree. Writer Songeziwe Mahlangu, author of Penumbra will be … Continue reading
Author Tanja Dückers at Goethe-Institut
We are excited to have German Author Tanja Dückers joining us on the 1st of April at the Goethe- Institut Nairobi.She will be conducting a short writing workshop for selected upcoming … Continue reading
The Boy Who Reads the Paper
Earlier this week I popped by State house primary,one of the beneficiaries of the Start a library project, to to catch up with class 8N Library lesson time. I was warmly … Continue reading
The Theatre Company Performance Laboratory 2016
Dear Friends of Performance, It is with great pleasure that we announce the recruitment for our prestigious and popular Performance Laboratory Programme. The Lab offers an opportunity for six (6) … Continue reading
Read Aloud with Muthoni Garland
Kenya Airways must have sensed our anxiety because our flight from Ghana arrived a half hour early. Yaani, Martin and I were out of the airport by 6:30am. We even … Continue reading
Publish A Book In 2016!
Storymoja Writing Workshops – Jan to April 2016 The objective of the six writing workshops, spread over three months, is to help writers develop titles for publication in the Storymoja … Continue reading
Read Aloud with Revees
The excitement was almost palpable. If I could have tasted it, delightful is how I would describe it. I arrived at Damacrest School in Kiambu county at 7:30 am, just … Continue reading
Sitting On A Tree, Spoken Word at Goethe
The Goethe-Institut Nairobi is pleased to invite you to our Spoken Word event this week. Please find below more details: · Event: Spoken Word -Sitting on a Tree. · Day/Date: … Continue reading
Read Aloud at Highridge Primary School
I set my alarm 30 minutes earlier than the usual for today wasn’t like the other days that saw the end of the last Friday in January of 2016. I also … Continue reading
Read Aloud at Al-Ansaaru Primary
The Storymoja Read Aloud I conducted at Al-Ansaaru Primary and Nursery school in Eastleigh was an inexpressibly mirthful experience! ‘Maalim, huyu ananisukuma’ is the statement that welcomed me in the … Continue reading
Read Aloud At Ncooro Academy-Ongata Rongai, Kajiado County
Though I had prepared well, I did not know what to expect for this was my first time to participate in such an event. Somebody should tell me the correct … Continue reading
St. Mary’s with Reading Ambassadors Eric and Linda
As we entered St Mary’s primary school with my colleague Linda, we saw the children assembled at the pared ground in attention. I wondered what was happening only to see … Continue reading
Illiteracy is the Elephant in the Room
“Oh,okay. I see.” My hand froze midway from turning the page. My heart sank down to the pit of my stomach and burst into butterflies. I did not turn around … Continue reading
State House Primary Library Installation
There is a general perception that schools in Nairobi perform better than schools in up-country because they have better resources. But here we have State House Primary school- right behind … Continue reading
Caine Prize 2016 Judging Panel Announced
The five judges of this year’s Caine Prize for African Writing are today announced in London. The panel of judges will be chaired by the distinguished author and broadcaster Delia … Continue reading
Q&A with ‘Imagine Africa 500’ authors Muthi Nhlema and Tiseke Chilima
Source: Q&A with ‘Imagine Africa 500’ authors Muthi Nhlema and Tiseke Chilima
Mwito Wa Storymoja Wa Kuwasilishwa Miswada Ya Fasihi Bunifu Na Mwaliko Wa Warsha
Mwaliko katika warsha ya uandishi MISURURU YA HADITHI KUHUSU STADI ZA MAISHA – hadithi bunifu kwa vijana chipukizi katika Kingereza na Kiswahili Tafadhali, tuma ombi la kuhudhuria warsha ikiwa: … Continue reading
Storymoja Call for Fiction Submissions and Invitation to Workshop
Invitation to Writing Workshop: LIFE SKILLS SERIES – FICTION for teenagers in English and Kiswahili Please apply to attend this workshop: If you wish to submit to the call for … Continue reading
#StoryForChela Amka Story
She is in her pink pajamas, dramatically splayed across the bed like someone crucified her, and Xavier imagines the letters “INRE” written into the white of her pillow. Only the … Continue reading
#StoryForChela Amka Story
I am hungry and freezing. I did not think that it would be this cold at night. Turns out that the Mombasa heat is not transferred to he night. I … Continue reading
#StoryForChela Amka Story
Zawadi woke up in the morning feeling empty, tired and confused. The site of her aunt screaming and pleading with City Council askaris not to take her away was still … Continue reading
#StoryForChela Amka Story
The fruits were yellow and full. There was no gate in the fence and I wondered how I would get to them. This was not going to stop me though. … Continue reading
Maman
Maman’s eyes have been draped in sadness for years now. She has worn her greying mane in the same way for the past three: packed to the crown of her … Continue reading
Literacy Crisis
Storymoja has taken up the initiative to battle the literacy crisis in Kenya by ensuring, through its project Start a library, that every child has access to books. In partnership … Continue reading
Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center Residency Competition – deadline Dec 1, 2015
Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center, through a combination of four-week residencies and one-week conferences, enables the advancement of critical dialogue, thinking and action that promotes the well-being of humanity throughout the … Continue reading
Writing to Build Libraries
There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is the best of all – Jackie Kennedy The heedless plight of illiteracy has been plaguing our … Continue reading
Using the Intellectual Property System to Harness African Creativity
“Poetry must not perish. Because if it does, where will the world’s hope be?” These famous words flowed from the pen of former Senegalese President Leopold Sedar Senghor, just one … Continue reading
Library Installation at MCO Joy: What The Teachers Said
Ever since Kibaki’s government initiated free primary education, our schools have had an all high attendance. Despite this, Kenya is facing a literary crisis with some of our districts being … Continue reading
1st Library Installation #StoryForChela
Through the Story for Chela Campaign, Start a library is on a mission to raise 30 million Kenya shillings to install 100 libraries in public schools in Kenya. On 4th … Continue reading
All The Best MCO Joy Candidates! #StoryForChela
Storymoja would like to wish the MCO Joy candidates all the best as they sit for their national exams. We had an amazing time with the entire school today as … Continue reading
Children of Farasi Lane Primary Read out The Reading Pledge #StoryForChela
The hyper students of Farasi Lane Primary school chant the Reading Pledge during the #StoryForChela activation; that took place on 22nd of October 2015. Eric from our Storymoja team kicked … Continue reading
Kenya to Make History with World’s First Collectively Written Book by a Nation
Kenya to Make History with World’s First Collectively Written Book by a Nation Kenya is on the verge of something great. Something exciting. Something quite epic. On the 9th of … Continue reading
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