Your child sees Kenya too. Let them speak.
The Kenya We Want · Young People Are Watching You
Children ages 6 to 17 can choose one of 24 topics, record a short speech at home, and share what they think with adults across Kenya. Fifteen finalists will speak live in Nairobi on December 5.
- Free to enter
- No speaking experience needed
- Record on a phone
- 10-minute entry form
English, Kiswahili, mother tongue, or a natural mix are welcome. Read the 24 topics and rules
The Kenya We Want
Young People Are Watching You.
Children notice what happens around them. They have questions, opinions, and ideas. Adults do not always stop to ask what they think.
This season, we are asking. Every topic is about Kenya, and every child is speaking to adults. A speech may:
- Help adults see something children notice
- Share an everyday experience without revealing anything private or painful
- Show adults what needs attention and what could change
- Celebrate something about Kenya that is worth protecting
A child can challenge corruption, unfairness, unsafe systems, or environmental damage. The speech cannot attack or campaign for a named person, political party, school, organization, or community. This rule protects every child and keeps the championship nonpartisan.
We do not treat children as half-formed adults. We treat them as people who already understand a great deal, and who are usually just waiting for someone to listen.
Sprout Life Skills, organizers of the championshipStart with a conversation at home.
Choose a topic together, help your child work out what they want to say, and record the speech on a phone. The entry form takes about 10 minutes.
Pick a topic together
There are eight topics for each age group. Ask your child which one gives them something real to say. There is no single right choice or message.
Record it at home
A phone is enough. Find a quiet place, light your child's face, and let them use their own words. Record it as many times as needed and send the version they are happiest to share.
Send it for review
Complete the short form and upload the video. We review every entry, usually within two working days. If it meets the publication rules, we place it on the Wall of Speeches and send you the link.
Eight topics for each age group.
The topic is the subject, not the speech. Your child chooses the direction, message, and ending. The examples in the topic guide are there to help them think, not to tell them what to say.
Sprout Spark
A speech at this age can begin with something small and real: a person, place, moment, question, or experience your child remembers.
Teen Titans
Children this age often have clear opinions about what they see. These topics give them room to explore one issue and explain what they think about it.
Sprout Stars
These topics give teenagers room to take a position, explain their reasoning, and leave adults with something worth considering.
It starts at home and ends on stage.
Every finalist begins the same way: with a topic, a phone, and a message they want adults to hear.
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Now to Sep 28
Auditions, from home
Send your child's speech at any time before the deadline. Each approved audition is scored independently by selected judges who do not see the child's name, school, or family details.
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October 13
Semi-finalists announced
The top 10 children in each age group advance. We contact their families and send the new topic and preparation information.
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November 1
Live Semifinals
Thirty semifinalists speak live in Nairobi. The top five in each age group advance to the Grand Finals.
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December 5
The Grand Finals
Fifteen children speak live in Nairobi. One champion is named in each age group, and the event is professionally filmed.
We review every video before it is published. Nothing goes online automatically.
The Sprout Life Skills team
We protect your child's video and personal information.
Every entry passes a publication review before anyone outside the championship team can watch it.
- ✓The public speech page may show your child's first name, county, topic, competition stage, advancement status, and view count. It never shows their surname, school, exact age, contact details, or address.
- ✓You give consent on the entry form and may ask us to remove the video at any time by emailing [email protected]. You do not need to give a reason.
- ✓There are no public comments. People may watch and share a speech, but views and shares do not add points or affect advancement.
- ✓Judging is anonymous. Judges see a participant number, age group, topic, and video, but not the child's name, school, town, or family information.
Help more children take part and be heard.
The championship is open to families in every county. Partners can help with access, safeguarding, connectivity, travel, media, awards, and the live events. Cash, in-kind, and private support are welcome.
Founding Partner opportunity for Season 1
One organization may join as the Founding Partner for Season 1, with agreed recognition across the championship and at the Grand Finals. Partners support the platform but do not influence speeches, judging, or results.
Led by people who coach children every week.
Sprout Life Skills has coached more than 500 children since 2023. The championship opens this opportunity to children across Kenya, including those who have never attended a Sprout class or entered a speaking competition.
Gikuyu Muchai
Gikuyu developed the Sprout coaching model and guides the championship's educational and speaking framework. He has coached children, teenagers, professionals, and executives since 2023.
Milcah Wairimu
Milcah co-founded Sprout and leads the championship's day-to-day operations. She coaches children across the three age groups and helps young speakers express their ideas in their own words.
Clear answers before you enter.
Entry is free. There are no application or judging fees later in the competition.
No. Any child ages 6 to 17 living in Kenya may enter through a parent or guardian. Children in public school, private school, or homeschooling are equally welcome. You enter your child directly.
Your child chooses one of the eight topics for their age group. All topics sit under this season's theme, The Kenya We Want. They include:
- School and the right to learn
- Hunger and health
- Children's safety
- The environment
- Honesty in public life
The topic gives your child a subject, but they decide the message. Download the complete topic guide and read it together.
Your child may speak in English, Kiswahili, their mother tongue, or a natural combination of languages. The language they choose does not make the entry more or less competitive. They should use the language that helps them express their message most clearly.
No. The championship is about citizenship and children's experiences, not party politics. Children may speak about issues such as education, safety, corruption, health, the environment, and national unity.
A speech may not campaign for or attack a politician, party, public official, school, organization, or community. We review every entry before publication.
The championship team sees it first. Nothing goes online until we have reviewed and approved it.
- Once approved, anyone may watch it on the championship website
- Approved speeches may also appear on Sprout's social media channels under the consent given on the entry form
- You may ask us to remove the public video at any time
Selected judges score Naturalness, Voice, and Words. Normally, three judges score each audition independently. They see a participant number, age group, topic, and video, but not the child's name, school, town, or family details. Views and shares never add points or determine who advances.
You can help with the process, but the ideas and words must remain your child's own.
- Read the topics together and help them choose
- Ask questions that help them work out what they think
- Help them organize their ideas, practice, manage time, and record
You may not write the speech, provide lines to memorize, or use an AI tool to generate it. Adult-written, AI-written, and copied speeches are not accepted.
Advancement is only one part of the experience. Every approved participant receives a shareable speech page, a participation certificate, a speech-preparation resource, an invitation to a free post-championship learning session, and recognition as a Season 1 participant. Their public speech remains available unless you ask us to remove it.
Tell parents about the opportunity. Share championship.sprouts.co.ke in your WhatsApp groups, newsletters, or announcements, and interested parents can enter their children directly. Your organization does not need to register or manage applications. Email [email protected] if you would like a ready-made flyer or message.
What does your child want adults to hear?
Read the topics together. When your child finds one that gives them something real to say, help them record the message in their own words.
