“Every Post is Power”: Jackie Adhyambo Urges Youth to Reclaim Africa’s Story Online
Kenyan digital storyteller Jackie Adhyambo has sparked a conversation across social platforms by challenging young Africans to flood the internet with authentic, uplifting stories. She says the future of Africa’s global image lies in how boldly its youth tell their own narratives — not in waiting for validation from the West.
In a recent tweet that has since gone viral, Jackie Adhyambo made an impassioned appeal to Kenya’s youth: "Fill the digital space with your stories of resilience, pride, and talent." The media strategist and youth advocate emphasized that the battle to reshape Africa’s global perception isn’t won in boardrooms or embassies — but on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and X.
Her message comes amidst ongoing debates about representation and agency in global media, especially after several Western documentaries and reports portrayed Africa through outdated tropes of poverty, crisis and chaos.
Context & Analysis
Jackie’s digital activism fits into a broader wave of “Afro-digital storytelling” — a push by young Africans to control how the continent is portrayed online. Over the years, platforms like Humans of New York and Western media outlets have often focused on victimhood narratives. Jackie’s call flips that lens, urging creators to spotlight local triumphs: start-ups in Kibera, dancers in Kayole, poets from Kisumu.
Her message resonates with Kenya’s fast-growing digital economy, where creators now reach global audiences. The stakes are high: either Africans shape their story, or someone else does it for them — often inaccurately.
Kenya By Numbers
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14.3 million: Number of Kenyans on social media (2024).
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70%: Percentage of Kenya’s population under the age of 35.
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Sh25B: Estimated value of Kenya’s creator economy, driven by influencers, digital artists, vloggers, and TikTokers.
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Top 3: Kenya ranked among Africa’s most active countries on TikTok, after South Africa and Nigeria.
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83%: Kenyans who say they distrust foreign media portrayals of Africa (GeoPoll, 2023).
Why It Matters / What's Next
Kenya is on the brink of a storytelling revolution. With a young, tech-savvy population and growing internet penetration, there is an unprecedented opportunity to reclaim Africa’s narrative — not as a monolith of problems, but as a mosaic of strength and brilliance.
Expect to see a rise in homegrown content collectives, youth-led digital archives, and culturally grounded storytelling. But challenges remain — including algorithm bias, content monetization struggles, and censorship.
Questions that remain:
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Will the government and private sector invest in the digital creator economy?
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Can storytelling shift mindsets fast enough to beat persistent stereotypes?
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How can Kenyan youth collaborate across borders to amplify their message?
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