Sprout Spark
Ages 6 to 9 · up to 2 minutesA speech at this age can begin with something small: a person, a place, a moment, a question or an experience your child remembers.
Free · Ages 6 to 17 · Anywhere in Kenya ·
Sprout Speakers Championship: A Free Public Speaking Competition for Children in Kenya
Children aged 6 to 17 choose a topic about Kenya, record a short speech on a phone at home, and share what they think with adults across the country. The best speakers move through four rounds, and 15 finalists speak live in Nairobi on .
- What it is
- A free national public speaking competition for children, run by Sprout Life Skills
- Who can enter
- Children aged 6 to 17 living in Kenya, entered by a parent or guardian. Entry is free and no experience is needed
- How to enter
- Choose a topic, record a short speech on a phone, and send it with a 10-minute form
- Auditions
- , , from home
- Grand Final
- , live in Nairobi
- Languages
- English, Kiswahili, a mother tongue, or a natural mix
What is the Sprout Speakers Championship?
It is a free national public speaking competition for children aged 6 to 17, run by Sprout Life Skills. Children speak about the country they are growing up in, and adults listen.
Public speaking is how children take part. The bigger purpose is that children are heard: they share what they notice, what they think and what could change, in their own words.
Any child living in Kenya can enter through a parent or guardian, whether they go to a public school, a private school or learn at home. Your child does not need a school to sign them up, and does not need any speaking experience.
This season's theme: 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
One rule keeps it fair to every child
A child can challenge corruption, unfairness, unsafe systems or environmental damage. A speech cannot attack or campaign for a named person, political party, school, organization or community. This 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 waiting for someone to listen.
Which age group is my child in, and how long is the speech?
There are three age groups, with the same theme and a different speech length for each.
Teen Titans
Ages 10 to 13 · up to 3 minutesChildren this age often have clear opinions about what they see. The topics let them explore one issue and explain what they think about it.
Sprout Stars
Ages 14 to 17 · up to 4 minutesThe topics let teenagers take a position, explain their reasoning and leave adults with something worth considering.
Each age group has eight topics, 24 in all, under the season's theme. A topic is the subject, not the speech: your child chooses the direction, the message and the ending. Read the topic guide
How does my child enter?
Start with a conversation at home. Entry takes three steps, and your child keeps the ideas and words.
- Choose a topic together
There are eight topics for each age group. Read them together and ask which one gives your child something 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 your child likes, and send the version they are happiest to share.
- Send it for review
Complete the short form, which takes about 10 minutes, 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.
How much can I help my child?
You can help with the process, but the ideas and words must stay 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
What can't I do?
You may not write the speech, give lines to memorize or use an AI tool to generate it. Adult-written, AI-written and copied speeches are not accepted.
How does the championship run, from home to the stage?
Auditions take most of the season, so families have time to choose, record and send. Each later round is shorter and has fewer children. Every live event is on a Saturday in Nairobi.
Auditions
From home. Any child can send a speech before the deadline. Each approved audition is scored by judges who do not see the child's name or school. The top 20 in each age group (60 children) move on.
Quarterfinals
Announced on . A new topic and a new video from home, with a short preparation guide. The top 10 in each age group (30 children) move on.
Semi-finals
Announced on . A new topic, with time to prepare and a coaching session. We confirm whether the semi-finals are held in Nairobi or online before the round begins. The top five in each age group (15 children) move on.
Saturday eventGrand Final
Announced on . Fifteen finalists speak live in Nairobi, with a finalist coaching session on . One champion is named in each age group, and the event is professionally filmed.
Live in Nairobi · venue to be confirmed
What to expect between rounds
Judging happens in the weeks between rounds. We tell every family when their child's result is ready, and we confirm any change of date here and by email to the families who have entered.
Who judges, and is it fair?
Selected judges score every speech on three things from the Sprout Model. Speeches are not recitals, so what counts is how a child sounds and thinks.
Naturalness
Sounding like yourself: at ease, honest and comfortable with an audience.
Voice
Speaking clearly, varying tone and pace, and standing with presence.
Words
Organizing ideas well and choosing the words and examples that make a point land.
How we keep judging fair
- Judges see a participant number, an age group, a topic and a video, but not the child's name, school, town or family details
- Normally three judges score each audition independently
- Views and shares on the Wall of Speeches do not add points or affect who advances
- Sponsors, schools and family connections never influence scoring
How do you protect my child's video and information?
- Every entry is watched by our team before anyone outside the championship team can see it. Nothing goes online automatically.
- The public speech page may show your child's first name, county, topic, 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 you can 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.
- If a child looks or sounds uncomfortable in the video, we do not publish it.
- Approved speeches may also appear on Sprout's social media channels under the consent you give on the entry form.
If you are worried about a child's safety, Childline Kenya is free on 116.
What does every child receive, even if they do not advance?
Advancement is one part of the experience. We never want parents to feel that only the winners benefited. Every approved participant gets:
- A participation certificate
- A shareable speech page on the Wall of Speeches
- A basic speech preparation resource
- An invitation to a free post-championship learning session
- A parent guide on helping children communicate
- Recognition as a Season 1 participant
Quarterfinalists, semi-finalists and finalists receive progressively more coaching, feedback and recognition.
Sprout children speaking
These are children from our programs, practicing with their coaches and speaking to audiences at the Sprout centre.
Help more children be heard
The championship is open to families in every county. Partners help more children take part and have their speeches heard, in cash or in kind. Support can go to:
- Access: data bundles, devices and recording support
- Travel for finalists and their families
- Media coverage and sharing children's speeches
- Safeguarding and child protection support
- Awards, certificates and learning resources
- Venue and hospitality for the Grand Final
How sponsors take part
- Sprout owns and runs the championship
- Sponsors never influence judging, approve speeches or reject entries
- Sponsors do not receive parent contact lists or children's data, and do not contact children
- Speeches come first: sponsor stage time is agreed in advance and kept proportionate
- Political parties, candidates and politically controlled campaigns cannot sponsor
Founding Partner. One organization may join as Founding Partner for this season, with recognition we agree together across the championship and at the Grand Final.
Who is behind the championship?
Sprout Life Skills is a public speaking and communication coaching company in Kilimani, Nairobi. The championship is led by its co-founders, who coach children every week.
The championship opens that coaching to children across Kenya, including children who have never attended a Sprout class or entered a speaking competition.
Gikuyu Muchai
Co-Founder and Lead CoachCreated the Sprout Model and guides the championship's speaking framework.
Wairimu Ruhara
Co-Founder and Program DirectorLeads Sprout's programs for children and adults.
What parents say about Sprout
Questions parents ask
Still unsure? Call +254 795 756 688
How much does it cost?
Entry is free. There are no application fees and no judging fees later in the competition.
When can my child enter?
Auditions run from to . Your child can send a speech at any time before the deadline.
Does my child's school need to be signed up?
No. Any child aged 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.
What will my child speak about?
Your child chooses one of the eight topics for their age group. All topics sit under this season's theme, The Kenya We Want, and are about everyday life in Kenya, such as school, health, safety and the environment. The topic gives your child a subject, and they decide the message.
Which languages can my child use?
English, Kiswahili, their mother tongue or a natural mix. The language your child chooses does not make the entry more or less competitive. They should use the language that helps them say what they mean.
Is this too political for a child?
No. The championship is about citizenship and children's experiences, not party politics. A speech may not campaign for or attack a politician, party, public official, school, organization or community, and we review every entry before publication.
Who sees the video?
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, and you may ask us to remove it at any time.
Who judges, and is it fair?
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.
How much can I help my child?
You can help with the process, but the ideas and words must stay your child's own. You may help them choose a topic, think through what they want to say, practice and record. You may not write the speech, give lines to memorize or use an AI tool to generate it.
What if my child does not advance?
Every approved participant receives a participation certificate, a shareable speech page, a speech preparation resource, an invitation to a free post-championship learning session and a parent guide on helping children communicate.
Where is the Grand Final?
In Nairobi on . We will confirm the venue on this page and tell each finalist's family directly.
We run a school or church. How can we help?
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 sign up or manage entries.
What does your child want adults to hear?
Read the topics together. When your child finds one that gives them something to say, help them record the message in their own words.
Would your organization like to help? Become a sponsor