eKitabu

11/06/2026

Celebrating consistency and bright futures! 🌟

From honoring long-term contributions like Little Angels Primary School’s involvement in the 2015 eKitabu Digital Essay Competition, to engaging on the ground today with the fantastic community at New Era Preparatory School, our mission remains unchanged: unlocking the power of digital learning for every child.

Seeing the smiles, energy, and talent in these schools reminds us why we do what we do. Thank you to the teachers, administrators, and incredible students for welcoming us so warmly!

Are you ready to see your students shine? Submissions for the eKitabu Digital Essay Competition (DEC) are officially open! Encourage your learners to share their voices and win amazing prizes.

Where to Submit: Go to essay.eKitabu.com
Submission Window: MARCH through

JULY (Closing Date: JULY 17)

Contact for Inquiries: Email [email protected] or call 0740 524 629

Submission Requirement: Ensure you include your full name, school name, county, grade, age, and your teacher’s contact details (failure to do so may result in loss of marks).

09/06/2026

Kiswahili is the national language of Kenya... so Kiswahili is it”

We absolutely loved chatting with Tabitha Kaluki, a Kiswahili teacher at West Nairobi School who instructs students from K4 all the way to 12th grade. For Tabitha, teaching Kiswahili is all about connecting children to culture, song, and community.
We are thrilled that she picked out 7 fun, funny, and beautifully relatable books for her students during our Book Week event! Thank you, Tabitha, for your incredible passion for language and learning.

👉 Looking for engaging, relatable books for your learners? Check out shop.ekitabu.com!

04/06/2026

CHAPA SHAIRI: Let Me Speak! 🇰🇪 Calling all junior school and high school students in Kenya—it’s your time to be heard!

We are back with an amazing opportunity for you to showcase your creative voice. Whether you express yourself best through written verse or a powerful spoken word performance, we want to hear from you!

🎭 The Details:
Theme: Let me Speak
Categories: Written Poetry (Max 40 lines) OR Spoken Word Video (Max 5 minutes)
Accepted Languages: English, Kiswahili, French, Sheng’, or Mother Tongue.
💰 Exciting Awards:
1st Place: Ksh 25,000 school fees + Ksh 5,000 pocket money
2nd Place: Ksh 15,000 school fees + Ksh 5,000 pocket money
3rd Place: Ksh 7,000 school fees + Ksh 3,000 pocket money

📝 Entry Requirements:
1️⃣ You must buy the book When Love Says Goodbye (available in Print, ebook, or audiobook) from shop.eKitabu.com/wlsg. (Tip: select “deliver to my school” and name your school!)
2️⃣ Your submission MUST be an original piece.
3️⃣ Don’t forget to include your full name, school name, county, grade, age, and your teacher’s contact details.
📅 Deadline: 17th July 2026

📥 How to Submit:
Send your piece to [email protected], via WhatsApp at 0740 524 629, or as a hard copy to the eKitabu Office (5th Floor, Rainbow Tower, Muthithi Rd).

03/06/2026

Our May 2026 Newsletter is LIVE!

We are back with our core mission: keeping our community Inclusive, Accessible, and Innovative through powerful Stories!

Here is what we have lined up for you this month:

Nairobi International Book Fair 2026

We are exhibiting at Sarit Centre from 23rd–27th September 2026! This 5-day event is completely FREE. We will have a curated mix of adult and children’s books at our best prices ever—and you can help us choose what books to bring!

DEC 2026: “Let me speak...”
The Digital Essay Competition is officially here with the open theme: ”Let me speak...”

A Historic First!
For the first time ever, we are welcoming entries in any Kenyan mother-tongue language! Students can also submit in English, Kiswahili, French, German, Arabic, Mandarin, Art, Kenya Sign Language (KSL) Videos, and Braille.

The Grand Finale:
The national prize-giving ceremony will happen live at the Nairobi International Book Fair this September!

🔗 Click here https://mailchi.mp/ekitabu/newsletter-subscription to read the full newsletter and share your book recommendations in the comments below.

02/06/2026

A massive thank you to all the incredible partners, dedicated teachers, and enthusiastic learners who joined us last Saturday at Starehe Boys’ Centre and School in Nairobi! Together, we officially launched the Digital Essay Competition (DEC) 2026 for the Secondary level, and the energy in the room was inspiring.

This year, we are challenging students to share their unique perspectives, stories, and voices.

The official DEC 2026 topic is: “Let Me Speak...”

Who can participate?
The competition is open to all Upper Primary and Secondary school students from both private and public schools across the region. Whether you have a story to tell, an argument to make, or a vision to share, this is your platform!

📝 Ready to submit? > Head over to essay.eKitabu.com to submit your entry and find more details. We can’t wait to read the incredible insights our youth will bring to life this year!

28/05/2026

There is nothing quite like the magic of seeing young minds fall in love with reading!

We had the absolute pleasure of hosting Book Week at West Nairobi School, and hearing from 3rd-grade teacher Sarah completely warmed our hearts. From Wangari Grace’s incredible storytelling session to Virginia Clay sharing the journey behind Warrior Boy, the students were utterly captivated—and even begging for more books!

Fostering an early reading culture is at the core of what we do. When we spark curiosity and imagination in children, we open doors to endless possibilities.

Huge thanks to the amazing educators, authors, and students at West Nairobi School for letting us be a part of your reading journey.

👉 Ready to inspire the young readers in your life? Visit us at shop.ekitabu.com/warriorboy tograb a cop!

28/05/2026

Behind every great writer is a teacher who believed in them first!

Mr. Eric Masiba – An inspiring teacher at Kisii School and one of our key community facilitators bringing this mission to life in Kisii.
To all our teachers, community facilitators, and judges: thank you for being the bridge, guiding our students, and helping the next generation find their voice.

Where to Submit: Go to essay.eKitabu.com

Submission Window: MARCH through JULY (Closing Date: JULY 17)

Contact for Inquiries: Email [email protected] or call 0740 524 629

Submission Requirement: Ensure you include your full name, school name, county, grade, age, and your teacher’s contact details (failure to do so may result in loss of marks).

26/05/2026

The countdown is on!

We are thrilled to invite you to the Digital Essay Competition 2026 Launch & Reading Festival! Join us for a day dedicated to celebrating literacy, creativity, and digital innovation among students.

📅 Date: Saturday, 30th May 2026
⏰ Time: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
📍 Venue: Starehe Boys' Centre & School

⚠️ Important Notice for Attendees:

Book Purchase: All participating students are required to purchase books at Kes 650 via eKitabu’s M-Pesa Paybill.

Lipa na M-Pesa Details: Paybill Number: 841350 | Account Number: SCHOOL NAME/RF

For any inquiries, feel free to reach out to us at 0740 524 629 or 0722 942 485.
Let’s inspire the next generation of writers and thinkers! See you there!

26/05/2026

Behind every great writer is a teacher who believed in them first!

We are immensely grateful for the incredible community driving the Digital Essay Competition (DEC) forward across Kenya. Today, we want to give a massive shoutout to the dedicated educators and field champions who make this impact possible:

Mr. Duncan Were – A brilliant Kiswahili teacher at Aga Khan Mombasa, who has been an invaluable DEC agent and dedicated judge for the last 3 years!

Categories to Enter

You can submit your entry in:

Languages: English, Kiswahili, French, German, Chinese, Arabic, and Kenyan Mother Tongues.

Accessible Formats: Braille and Kenya Sign Language (KSL) Videos.

Creative: Art category.

🗓️ Important Dates

March 27: Entry Submissions Opened

May 8: Official Launch

July 17: Closing Date for Submissions

September 25: Prizegiving Ceremony

🏆 What’s Up for Grabs?

Winners stand a chance to receive scholarship funds, computing devices, certificates, gift hampers, and well-deserved public recognition!

🚀 How to Participate

Eligibility: Upper Primary (Grade 5–6), Junior School, and Senior School students.

Submit at: essay.ekitabu.com

Contact: [email protected] or call 0740 524 629.

Pro Tip: Make sure to include your full name, school, county, grade, age, and teacher’s contact details so you don’t lose any marks!

11/05/2026