Five storytellers from Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria and Sierra Leone will share personal accounts of survival, illness, family responsibility, and life-changing decisions when The Moth returns to Nairobi on November 7.
The seventh Nairobi Mainstage event will be held at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa’s LRC Auditorium under the theme “Now or Never”, with Kenyan media personality Adelle Onyango returning as host.
Among the stories is that of Ugandan HIV and sexual and reproductive health rights advocate Shakirah Namwanje, who will reflect on receiving an HIV diagnosis while holding on to her dream of becoming a mother.
Kenyan human rights defender Bernard Mbugua will recount his battle with tuberculosis as a teenager and the difficult choice between traditional spiritual methods and modern medicine.
Other accounts will explore unexpected encounters and the decisions people make under pressure. Nigerian artist and researcher Odun Orimolade will share an experience involving an armed robber, while Kenyan hydrotherapist and swimming coach Anne Obure will recount a scuba-certification retreat that turned into a fight for survival.
For Sierra Leonean social scientist Mahmood Bangura, the defining moment came with a family tragedy that left him responsible for his niece. His story will explore his decision to become her guardian and help her access the education and opportunities her late mother would have wanted for her.
The stories reflect the event’s focus on moments when circumstances leave little room for hesitation.
“None of these five storytellers walked in thinking they had a story worth sharing on a global stage,” said Josephine Macharia, producer of The Moth.
“What we discovered is that each of them had lived through a defining moment where they had to act, and simply couldn’t wait any longer. It was now or never,” she added.
Adele Onyango, who has hosted the Nairobi event for seven years, said the experience of hearing personal stories in a shared space often creates connections between strangers.
“By the end of the night, every one of those stories will belong to all of us in that room, not just to them,” she said.
The Moth is a storytelling platform that brings people before live audiences to share true personal experiences.