By Hyline Ocharo
There was a time when a child’s world of stories lived between the covers of a well-thumbed book—pages turned under dim light, tales, while some had the luxury of hearing them from their grandparents.
Today, that world is shifting, gently but decisively, onto glowing screens.
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At the heart of this transition is Boniface Nyamweya, a lecturer at Chuka University, who is blending tradition with technology through his children’s learning application, Kikwetu Kids.
The app reflects a new chapter in how knowledge is consumed—where the rustle of paper meets the tap of a screen.
Designed for young learners, it offers a library of engaging storybooks, simplified for easy reading and accessible in Ekegusii and other languages.
It is, in many ways, a digital bookshelf carried in the palm of a child’s hand.
“The idea was inspired by a changing reality: children are increasingly drawn to digital devices,” Nyamweya who hails from Kisii says.
Rather than resist this shift, he saw an opportunity to redirect it—turning passive screen time into an active journey of imagination and learning.
“Kikwetu Kids is not just an app; it is a bridge between generations. It preserves the essence of storytelling while adapting it to modern habits, ensuring that culture, language, and creativity are not lost in the scroll,” Nyamweya says.
The stories, translated into multiple languages, open doors for children from different backgrounds, making reading both inclusive and immersive.
And for educators, Nyamweya believes the platform offers a timely tool—one that complements traditional learning while preparing children for a digital future.
Nyamweya is an established creative write of works such as Otongoro neChing’erabanto, written in Ekegusii.
“I see hope: that the love for reading will not fade, but simply find a new form—alive, interactive, and just a tap away,” he says.
