The Moth Returns to Nairobi with “Daring to Hope” Storytelling Event
NAIROBI, Kenya – September 2025 – After a two-year hiatus, The Moth, the world-renowned nonprofit dedicated to the art of live storytelling, is set to make a comeback in Nairobi for its sixth Mainstage event. The evening, themed “Daring to Hope”, will take place on Saturday, November 1, 2025, at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa’s LRC Auditorium and will be hosted by Kenyan media personality Adelle Onyango.
The theme resonates deeply at a time when Kenyans, like many communities worldwide, are navigating economic uncertainty, social pressures, and political shifts. Organisers say the night will provide a space where truth, humour, courage, and vulnerability converge through the timeless act of storytelling.
For more than 25 years, The Moth has staged over 60,000 live stories worldwide, bringing together voices from astronauts and artists to parents, refugees, and activists. Each Mainstage event features five individuals sharing unscripted personal accounts, creating an atmosphere that is as unrepeatable as it is unforgettable.
This year’s Nairobi event forms part of 18 Mainstage shows across the globe, all tied together under a single theme for the first time in The Moth’s 28-year history. “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.
The power of storytelling lies in its ability to connect. Research by African Leadership Magazine (2024) shows that audiences retain up to 70% of information shared through stories compared to less than 10% delivered as raw data. Stories cut across class, culture, and geography, transforming grief into resilience and isolation into solidarity. In Nairobi, where families continue to navigate rising living costs and shifting social dynamics, The Moth’s stage offers both a mirror of society and a wellspring of strength.
Beyond healing, storytelling educates and challenges stereotypes. Studies by the Thomson Foundation reveal that nearly one-third of media coverage about Africa comes from foreign outlets, with over half of editors admitting that stereotypical narratives persist. By giving Pan-African voices a platform, The Moth amplifies authentic stories and ensures Africans tell their own truths.
As audiences gather in Nairobi this November, “Daring to Hope” will be more than a theme – it will be a collective act of courage and an invitation to imagine a more empathetic future.
