The Moth Returns: Nairobi’s Stage Set for “Daring to Hope.
By Editorial Team.
NAIROBI, Kenya – September 2025 – After a two-year wait, The Moth, the world-renowned nonprofit dedicated to the art of live storytelling, is returning to Nairobi for its sixth Mainstage event. Hosted by Adelle Onyango, the show will take place on Saturday, November 1, 2025, at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa’s LRC Auditorium. Themed “Daring to Hope,” the evening comes at a timely moment as Kenyans, like many communities worldwide, navigate economic uncertainty, social pressures, and political shifts.
For more than 25 years, The Moth has staged over 60,000 true stories told live, without notes, by people from all walks of life. From astronauts and artists to refugees, parents, and activists, its storytellers remind audiences that the human voice remains the most powerful bridge across differences. Each Mainstage event features five voices sharing personal accounts filled with humor, courage, and resilience—woven into a night that is as unrepeatable as it is unforgettable.
This year, Nairobi’s Mainstage is part of 18 events happening across the globe, all united under a single theme for the first time in The Moth’s 28-year history. Each show will feature five storytellers sharing moments of honesty, vulnerability, and transformation. While the theme ties the season together, every stage promises a unique mix of voices, surprises, and connections that can only be created through true personal storytelling.
“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. Each night adds its own layer, and together they form a powerful portrait of courage and vulnerability,” said Sarah Haberman, CEO of The Moth.
The power of storytelling is undeniable. Research by African Leadership Magazine shows that audiences retain 65–70% of information when it is presented as a story, compared to just 5–10% when shared as raw data. Stories dissolve barriers of class, culture, and geography. They heal by giving space to voices once silenced by grief, marginalisation, or hardship—turning pain into resilience and isolation into solidarity. In Nairobi, where daily struggles with economic hardship and rising living costs define much of life, the stage becomes both a mirror of society and a wellspring of hope.
Storytelling also educates. While facts may fade, a story told with vulnerability lingers. Audiences leave transformed, carrying new perspectives on what it means to be human. In a noisy world, storytelling cuts through, restoring empathy and reminding us of our shared capacity for hope. Yet authentic African stories remain underrepresented. Nearly one-third of media content about Africa is produced by foreign outlets, and more than half of editors admit that stereotypical narratives persist, according to the Thomson Foundation. The Moth directly challenges this imbalance by elevating Pan-African voices and allowing African storytellers to shape their own narratives.
“The Nairobi Mainstage has an unmatched energy,” said Sarah Austin Jenness, Executive Producer of The Moth. “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 elevating Pan-African advocates and storytellers, with stories that inspire and deepen connection.”
The Moth’s ties to Kenya run deep. Through its Global Community Program, the organization has amplified voices from across the Global South, helping local stories reach international audiences. The program now has more than 800 alumni from over 50 countries, many of whom use their personal stories to advocate and inspire. Nairobi has been part of this tradition for six years, warmly embracing the Mainstage as a space where local voices shine on the global stage.
This November, The Moth’s return will be more than a performance. It will be an invitation: to listen, to connect, and to dare to hope.
