The Moth, a global non-profit organisation dedicated to true, personal storytelling, is bringing stories of health, survival, family and social challenges to Nairobi through its flagship Mainstage show.
Ahead of the performance, the organisation hosted a roundtable at The Tamarind Hotel, bringing together storytellers, health experts and media professionals to explore how personal experiences can help audiences understand complex social and public health issues.
Under this year’s theme, ‘Now or Never’, discussions centred on real-life experiences involving HIV, tuberculosis, crime, survival and family responsibility.
Participants also explored how health data and personal narratives can work together to challenge stigma and encourage empathy.
The roundtable featured broadcaster and storyteller Adelle Onyango, medical doctor and past Moth storyteller Dr Michael Maina, storytelling trainer Maureen Amakabane, and members of The Moth’s international team, including Chief Executive Officer Gina Duncan and Executive Producer Sarah Austin Jenness.
Duncan said storytelling creates a connection between people from different backgrounds by allowing them to feel heard, understood and valued.
“While people from different communities and backgrounds will come together, the base of it is actually what’s really exciting. They are just a group of people seeking that connection. They want to hear these stories and feel seen, heard and valued,” she said.
Founded in 1997 by novelist George Dawes Green, The Moth takes its name from evenings in Georgia when friends gathered on a porch to share stories as moths circled the light.
The organisation has since presented more than 70,000 true stories, told live and without notes, across 11 countries and four continents. It produces more than 600 live events annually, including open-mic StorySLAMs and curated Mainstage performances.
Through its programmes, The Moth also works with students, educators, professionals and community organisations to help people shape and share their personal experiences.
Its Community Programme focuses on issues including health, criminal justice and gender equality, with an emphasis on amplifying voices often missing from mainstream conversations.
Jenness said the organisation’s nearly three-decade journey has been driven by its ability to bring people together through personal experiences.
She believes storytelling can be healing, allowing listeners to understand and connect with experiences different from their own.
On her part, Onyango said storytelling is deeply rooted in Kenyan and African traditions, where communities have historically gathered to share experiences, pass down values and learn from one another.
She noted that personal stories remain important in building empathy and addressing stigma surrounding issues such as HIV and tuberculosis.
The roundtable leads into The Moth Mainstage Nairobi show on Saturday, November 7, at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa’s LRC Auditorium.
Hosted by Onyango, the one-night event will feature five storytellers and a guest musician. Doors open at 6.15pm, with performances beginning at 8pm.
The Mainstage is The Moth’s flagship curated storytelling experience, bringing together ordinary people with extraordinary experiences alongside established writers, performers and public figures.
