On today’s episode, Dr. Claire hosts the amazing author Joan Thatiah to discuss her 5-book series “The confessions of Nairobi Men and Women”. Initially, this series trended online on the premise that it was about the debauchery that Nairobi is quite famous for, which got everyone running to secure their copies. For anyone who actually read the books though, they discovered a heartbreaking collection of true stories depicting abuse that adversely shaped or formed the basis for derailment of multiple lives. These are truly confronting and heartbreaking stories that made or broke those brave enough to share.
Dr. Claire explores Joan’s journey to becoming an author and how she came to compile the powerful stories in this series of books. They explore the culture of insect in families, SGBV and child sexual exploitation by those in positions of power, with an important focus on the impact these incidences have on the survivors and in some cases the perpetrators themselves. They also explore the power of storytelling in SGBV advocacy; how it helps educate others about perils they may never have otherwise considered, how it starts conversations in rooms where policies and laws can be created to protect vulnerable groups, and how it helps survivors find their voice and take their power back. Finally, they explore how Joan was able to debrief and take care of her own mental health after listening to such jarring and triggering stories of human suffering; how she discovered the importance of prioritising her own mental health and her role in helping amplify the voices of those often unheard or unbelieved and abandoned in Nairobi’s fast-paced man-eat-man culture.
Joan Thatiah is a celebrated award winning Kenyan author, journalist and fearless storyteller with a knack for capturing the nuances of modern Kenyan life. She is passionate about amplifying African voices and experiences, drawing inspiration from her surroundings. Her voice is unmistakeable: bold and deeply rooted in the realities of the people she writes about. If she weren’t a writer, she would be a psychiatrist because the human mind fascinates her.
The Confessions series consists of 5 books:
Confessions of Nairobi women
Confessions of Nairobi men
Confessions of Nairobi women book 2
Confessions of Nairobi men Book 2
Confessions of Nairobi men and women - The final chapter
Connect with Joan on all social media platforms @joanthatiah & @storizetuthebookstore to purchase her books and many others. The bookstore website is
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Production by @artlight
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