Inspiring Kenyan Youth: @AWellToldStory - Thoughts from #TEDTalentSearch

A "text-savvy" continent. A superhero. The man; behind a mask of routine as a reporter, wielding superhuman ability to reach and change lives; telescopic vision, carrying the world around him on his shoulders. And...wait for it; he's not Clark Kent. This isn't Kansas, Smallville. He's African. This is Kenya, to be precise.

He got on stage with one goal in mind. To change the future with one story. That story. The same story relished by 62% of school kids in Kenya. A story of taking responsibility...of taking action, not tossing around blame. A story of courage. A story called courage.

As Rob Burnett got off the stage, it was hard not to think man this guy's good. Not just the fact that he totally demolished the stage with a crisp, timely, innovatively designed presentation full of well-balanced graphics. It was more the fact that he spoke about an idea already spreading more than the darkness seems to at Kenya Power. 

From Well Told Story: A good comic makes you laugh or cry and it opens up your heart and your mind to new ideas. 

Shujaaz. The Swahili version of a pre-antisemitic post-Mad Max Bravehearts. Maybe with a little less gore and tragedy; at least in the man-kill-man-in-senseless-close-quarters-rusty-jembe-acting-as-a-blade-combat sense. 


Shujaaz is the story of a young Kenyan comic book character turned live action figure cum DJ. DJBoi, sorta like some Kenyan bloggers and tweeps I like to call Mass Anone (anonymous), airs his own progressive mindset change agenda from the comforts of his makeshift radio station. Where he beats many slacktivist citizen journos is in his viral self leadership initiative. Influencing the people physically around him to change for the better.


This reminds me of  post I just read, from one of my students at True North Leadership College:

Excerpt from Nixon's post at Student's Thoughts

This despite all the trauma and hardship he faces, like many of his fellow students, living in the Nairobi slum. Like the creative team at Shujaaz fm, he has not let the world dictate his ambition; he defines his own purpose in life.  This is a story bloody well worth telling. An idea truly worth spreading. 

And a bright young man rearing to have a go at the world.