The Moth returns to Nairobi with stories of ‘Daring to Hope’

After a two-year break, Nairobi is set to welcome back The Moth, the world-renowned nonprofit dedicated to the art of live storytelling.

The organisation will stage its sixth Mainstage event in the city on Saturday, November 1, 2025, at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa’s LRC Auditorium.

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The evening will run under the theme “Daring to Hope,” a reflection that resonates strongly as Kenyans, like many communities worldwide, face economic uncertainty, social pressures, and political shifts.

For more than 25 years, The Moth has built a global reputation for staging live, true stories told without notes. From astronauts and artists to refugees, parents, and activists, these storytellers remind audiences of the power of the human voice to bridge divides.

Each Mainstage brings together five storytellers who share personal accounts filled with humour, courage, and resilience.

The Nairobi event will be hosted by Adelle Onyango and will form part of 18 Mainstage shows happening globally this fall. For the first time in its 28-year history, all events will be united under one theme.

“Bringing every Mainstage together under the theme of daring allows us to do more than share stories; it invites a collective conversation across diverse perspectives,” said Sarah Haberman, CEO of The Moth.

“Each night adds its own layer, and together they form a powerful portrait of courage and vulnerability.”

The organisation emphasises that the impact of storytelling is more than entertainment. Research published by African Leadership Magazine in November 2024 showed that audiences retain up to 70 per cent of information when presented as a story, compared to less than 10 percent when delivered as raw data. Storytelling, therefore, has the power to dissolve barriers of class, culture, and geography.

In Kenya, where economic hardship and rising costs of living dominate everyday life, The Moth says stories of resilience can offer both healing and solidarity.

“The Nairobi Mainstage has an unmatched energy,” said Sarah Austin Jenness, The Moth’s Executive Producer.

“This year’s theme, Daring to Hope, carries special meaning. In a time when the future feels uncertain, these personal stories highlight the creativity people draw upon to face challenges. We are proud to continue to elevate Pan-African advocates and storytellers, with stories that inspire and deepen connection.”

The Moth also highlights a broader role in challenging how African stories are told. According to the Thomson Foundation, nearly one-third of media content about Africa originates from foreign outlets, with more than half of editors acknowledging that stereotypes still shape coverage.

By amplifying Pan-African voices, The Moth seeks to allow Africans to tell their own stories and shift the narrative.

The organisation’s ties with Kenya run deep. Through its Global Community Program, it has amplified voices from across the Global South and nurtured an alumni network of more than 800 storytellers from over 50 countries. Nairobi audiences, in turn, have embraced the tradition since hosting their first Mainstage six years ago.

This year’s return, organisers say, is more than a performance. It is an invitation: to listen, to connect, and above all, to dare to hope.