A Braver New World for children

By Aurelie Journo

Bravely conquering the cold and damp Nairobi weather, and making their way to the lush green gardens of the Lower Kabete Junior Academy, over 40 school children, joined by their parents, teachers, writers and volunteers, spent a colourful and inspiring afternoon combining work and play.

The kiswahili translation of ‘The Unlikely Burden‘, sponsored by the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) was launched by award winning author Stanley Gazemba, reading the title story of the book written by him. The launch was an opportunity for children, parents and teachers alike to remember the importance of animal welfare in their daily lives.

This was followed by the launch of author John Sibi Okumu’s latest book ‘Tom Mboya, Master of Mass Management‘ (A Sasa Sema/Longhorn Publication). After reading a short passage from the book, John talked poignantly about the importance of documenting Kenyan political history. Generations met and exchanged ideas, as Mr Wamalwa, a protagonist in the book and permanent secretary to Tom Mboya, shared with the audience his early days by his side.

But the day would not have been complete if books were the only focus. One look around the garden, with the colourful faces, adorned with flowers, butterflies or animals, one look at the joyful gait of children stepping out of the bouncy castle and heading for the swings, were the perfect illustration of the proverbial saying “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”. No dull boys or girls at the children’s day indeed.

Storytelling has various facets that should not be limited to their written form. Simiyu Barasa led the audience into the world of animated stories. From words highlighted in the Kenyan school curriculum, he created a story that was then turned into an animation film, proving that stories don’t only entertain but also teach. Mediae presented the workings of the transformation of a text into a storyboard and then an animation picture, conjuring images from words, and movement from images. The animation, The hyena and the ostrich, was then shown, as a première, the children being the first viewers of a cartoon that will be featured in the TV show ‘The Know Zone’, and the film itself being the first cartoon written, drawn and created in Kenya.

The exciting day ended on a thought provocating workshop by Storymoja, around the story of ‘In the land of the kitchen’. The adults were asked to sit back and observe while the discussion went on between the children. After a lively and highly entertaining storyteller told the story of antagonism and destruction in the kitchen community, the children were led to reflect on the meaning of key terms such as community, stereotypes, conflict, and eventually peace. In the light of the post election turmoil, the workshop showed that stories are not only an end in themselves but also the beginning of other stories that seek to question the ideas and terms we take for granted.

The day was long and full, but as they walked towards the school buses that were to take them home, the children were certainly not only tired, but also inspired to become, who knows, the future great storytellers of Kenya.