Biographies
Discover the lives behind the lines—poets, performers, and creatives who bring iWritAfrica to life.

Ahmed Karama
Ahmed Karama alizaliwa tarehe 17 Aprili 1998 katika jiji la Mombasa, Kenya. Alipata elimu yake ya msingi katika Shule ya Msingi ya Kengeleni, kisha akaendelea na elimu ya sekondari katika Shule ya Upili ya Baringo Boys. Baada ya hapo, alijiunga na Chuo Kikuu cha Nairobi ambako alisomea Uanahabari, akijikita katika taaluma ya mawasiliano, uandishi, na upashanaji habari.
Kwa sasa, Ahmed ni mwanahabari na muandishi mwenye weledi, anayejulikana kwa wepesi wa kufikisha habari kwa njia ya kitaalamu na yenye mvuto. Uandishi wake umejikita katika kutoa maarifa, kukuza uelewa wa jamii, na kuchochea fikra za mabadiliko chanya. Anaamini kuwa kila siku ni fursa ya kujifunza jambo jipya, akifuata falsafa yake ya maisha: "Ishi kwa kujifunza."
Ahmed anaendelea kujijenga kitaaluma huku akijitolea pia kuinua sauti za waliotengwa na kuchangia maendeleo ya kijamii kupitia vyombo vya habari.

Alex Maina
I am a creative writer, thought chaser, and certified overthinker. I write with purpose and passion, driven by the power of words to inform, inspire, and ignite minds. I love bringing ideas to life.

Clifford H_Arts
Cliford Ogola is poet and a spoken word arts, winning playwright and trainer, celebrated for his powerful stage works and creative coaching. He has guided institutions like st.mary's kibuye girls, st.Mary's Narok Girls jss, Sameta Boys, Katolo School, and Jan's Academy to success, including a winning historical play at KAPPA 2023 nyanza and western Rigion, Uzima University. Passionate about storytelling and poetry he turns ideas into unforgettable performances.

Collines Ochieng
Stage name: Amelia Collines
Playwright, Spoken word artist, visual and performing arts consultant, and Director.

Dick Orongo (Dikizo the Poet)
Dick Orongo (Dikizo the Poet) is an Artivist, HRD, and an Advocate of Good and Accountable Governance. At WritAfrica 2.0, I seek to deepen my impact - blending poetry, human rights advocacy, and environmental activism to drive social change. As a poet and human rights defender, I use creative expression through poetry to: weave compelling narratives about the state of service delivery; advocate for mental health and socio-economic justice; and, champion for environmental sustainability.
WritAfrica 2.0 offers a powerful platform to amplify marginalized voices, build strategic alliances, and refine my skills in using poetry and multimedia storytelling for civic engagement. By fusing art with advocacy, I aim to inspire collective action, shape inclusive policies, and champion a just society where both people and the planet thrive. These objectives align with my life’s mission and creative purpose.

Dorry Gorrety
I'm a visual artist and I inspire people through my paintings in order for them to understand that even art can access your hidden dreams and it can heal your deep thoughts.

Faraj Mohamed (The Raj)
Faraj Mohamed, born in Mapenya village, Lamu County, pursued his education locally. He merges creativity with impactful storytelling to raise awareness and promote advocacy through film, stage performances, and educational scripts. His passion drives meaningful change, whether behind the camera, on stage, or through powerful written narratives.

Frankline Barasa
Frankline Barasa – Writer | Storyteller
Based in Eldoret, Kenya, Frankline Barasa is a passionate writer whose love for storytelling began in childhood. He was inspired by powerful stories like Avatar: The Last Airbender, biblical narratives, and books by Sidney Sheldon, James Patterson, and Barbara Kimenye’s Moses series. He is the writer of The Winner — a Kenya Film Festival–nominated short film — and What About Us, both exploring themes of life, justice, and hope.
Frankline uses storytelling to make sense of the world and amplify unheard voices. For him, Siasa Inanihusu is more than a slogan — it’s a mission to write stories that inform, inspire, and engage.

Fulgence Rabach
Am a digital art activist who uses art for advocacy.

Hamid Said
I've finished studying.
I am an actor signed under LAMU ARTS AND THEATRE ALLIANCE

John Wesley
John Wesley is a passionate advocate from Kisumu County whose work centers on the community, especially adolescents, young women, youth and marginalized communities often left out of critical conversations. He is deeply committed to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), mental well-being, and climate justice, while pushing for systems that are more inclusive, accountable, and just.
At the core of his work is a strong belief in people-centered governance. John actively participates in civic education, public participation forums and accountability spaces, and community dialogues aimed at helping the young people get informed, understand their rights, engage in county planning processes, and empowered to hold leaders accountable.
Through his involvement with Dreams Redefined Community Based Organization, John supports inclusive sexuality education and youth empowerment initiatives that seek to end the triple threat of new HIV infections, teen pregnancy, and sexual and gender-based violence, and promote civic education and meaningful youth participation in governance processes.
He uses both storytelling and grassroots action to reflect community realities, amplify unheard voices, and advocate for responsive systems that serve all.

Khalilu Mohamed
My Name is Khalilu Mohamed, from Lamu born in Kizingitini raised in Lamu, working with organization since 2016 am an artist.

Loureen Auma
Loureen is a young girl aspiring to change the mindset of whatever situation we are at(Pessimistic) to the channel of optimism with an aggression to better the community through her voice in spoken word. We stand to fight and bring a leveled ground for everyone no matter the background, education level or community circle

Mary Jones
Poet

Naima Idris Mohamed
Naima Idris is a passionate Anthropologist with over four years of experience working at the intersection of cultural heritage and conservation in Kenya. She specializes in the documentation, digitization, and interpretation of heritage collections. She has contributed extensively to the preservation and promotion of Swahili culture and Islamic manuscripts, and played an instrumental role in implementing digital archiving systems for improved heritage access. Beyond her core curatorial work, Naima writes articles around different issues affecting her community.

Rashid Aboud Bwana
My name is Rashid Aboud Bwana. I was born in Mombasa, Kenya, and I am 34 years old. I currently live and work in Lamu County, and I am a Muslim by faith.
I serve as the Programme Manager at Kikozi Programme Group, a community-based organization (CBO) dedicated to empowering communities through civic education, youth development, environmental conservation, reproductive health, and digital safety. My work focuses on designing and managing projects that create real impact, especially for young people and marginalized groups.
Apart from my community work, I am also a visual artist and cartoonist. I use my art to raise awareness about important social issues such as corruption, poor healthcare, and barriers to education. For me, art is not just for expression; it's a tool for advocacy, dialogue, and change.
I believe in the power of grassroots mobilization and storytelling to inspire action and transform society. My goal is to continue supporting my community and using both leadership and creativity to bring about meaningful progress.

Rubea Mohamed
A young boy who more interested on drawing and I do follow ups about county project, and my county is lamu.

Salwa mahmoud
Salwa mahmoud is a human rights defender, community leader and social entrepreneur from lamu county,kenya.she empowers women through cultural arts and manages WEKA LAMU SAFI company addressing waste management and environmental conservation. Salwa coordinates The lamu county human rights defenders network and works with lamu arts and theatre alliance, using arts to promote social change and nurture youth talents. Passionate about preserving heritage,she collected old memories to ensure Lamus history is not forgotten. Salwa is dedicated to advancing gender equality, youth empowerment and sustainable development.

The Great Imboywa
A creative writer who is observant to what makes the normal happens.

Tobby
I'm a creative writer, script writer and a filmmaker. I write articles and make films that tell stories of our local community.
Though professionally, I'm a graduate of Bsc. Biotechnology. I've always have a burning passion in art.

Tofah
Writer, stage and screen plays.
Mentors

Jacob Mwachofi
J. N. Mwachofi is a Nairobi-based visual artist and illustrator. A self-taught artist with over eight years of experience, his background in economics informs his work with rich social commentary and visual storytelling. Mwachofi specializes in caricature, using it to go beyond simple exaggeration and instead, highlight truths and provoke thought through a humorous lens. As an upcoming mentor for WritAfrica, he aims to pass on his skills to the next generation of visual storytellers.

Shikkiey
Shikkiey is an award-winning spoken word artist, poet, and performing artist from Kenya, passionate about using art to spark social change. She began her journey in spoken word through Slam Africa, where she was crowned the 59th Slam African Queen, and has since performed across East Africa and internationally.
She is currently a Spoken Word Mentor for SiasaPlace, guiding young artists to use their art for advocacy and community impact. She has contributed to curriculum development for spoken word artists with the Kenya Cultural Centre and trained students from Queen’s University Belfast on the politics of performance.
In 2022, Shikkiey completed an Artivism Fellowship with ForumCiv, trained the next cohort the following year, and in 2024 served on the selection panel that chose 20 artists from East Africa for the fellowship. Her mentorship focuses on storytelling, brand-building, and empowering creatives to use art as a tool for change.

Treezer Michelle Atieno
Treezer Michelle Atieno is an award-winning global health journalist, producer, and a 2025 CNN Academy Fellow under the Storytelling in the Global South program. Accredited by the Media Council of Kenya, she has contributed to The Continent, Mail & Guardian, Science Africa, and One World Media, among others. She is currently a full-time editor and creative consultant.
In 2021, she received her first award, the Social Justice in Science Award by UNESCO and the World Federation of Science Journalists, during the World Science Forum in Cape Town, South Africa. She has since won the UN Foundation Polio Press Fellowship (Best Fellow 2024), Global Short Docs Health Solutions Fellowship and the 30 under 30 African Investigative Journalism Award 2024 for her investigative reporting on polio eradication in conflict zones in Kano, Nigeria.
She has worked with the Gates Foundation, UNESCO, UN Foundation and Safaricom Foundation and has reported from Kenya, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and South Africa.
Her vision is to see young writers produce original, authentic community stories, grow in skills, and be able to market and even earn from their art.