Children are known for their soft and playful nature but can occasionally attract attention and make headlines when the opportunity presents itself.
From time to time, they display rare and unique talents that go on to garner attention from a wide audience both locally and internationally.
Kenyans.co.ke takes a look at children who warmed their way into Kenyans’ hearts this year.
Baby Ethan
3-year-old Baby Ethan from Kigumo in Murang'a County was the talk of town in May 2023, after the kid demonstrated his unique institutional memory of the Kenyan political landscape by correctly naming elected leaders from all parts of the country when asked by a radio presenter.
In a video that went viral, Ethan was able to name all politicians, ranging from the President, Governors, Senators, and MCAs.
This elicited debate as to how the 3-year-old could cram the information for recitation at such a young age.
Thereafter, the baby was gifted a new bike and received a fully paid trip from Bonfire Adventures.
Claire Gakii
Claire Gakii, a 13-year-old Kenyan girl, caught the public’s attention after emerging victorious, outwitting 1.7 million entrants from 35 countries to win the International Writing Competition for Young People Award.
The competition pitted bright students against each other, where they were required to write a letter explaining the superpowers they would need to achieve their mission of making roads safe for all children.
In her letter, Claire outlined various actions including working together with children to facilitate training and education, community engagement, and policy-making as measures that could be employed to reduce road accidents.
She received the award in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Children From Freedom School
It is not every day that an entire school is recognised but in this particular instance, children from Freedom School in Nakuru County were feted after the school was ranked among the top 10 schools worldwide.
Among the factors that made the school pip over 1,000 schools to the award, was the institution's decision to grant its students autonomy to select their attire.
The school gained global attention after photos of the pupils wearing African attire and lesos to school went viral.
Freedom School was also recognised for its unique curriculum which requires students to learn about their heritage and culture.
The school also equips its learners with vital skills such as coding from a young age.
Kindergarten students are taught diverse African languages and dialects to foster their multilingual skills. The ranking, carried out by the T4 Education Initiative, noted that the school showed how children thrive when the curriculum is tweaked to address specific needs.
Muna Abdifatah
Muna Abdifatah was crowned the winner of the American International Tibyan Quran competition due to her mastery of the Quran.
The event, held in July 2023, pitted 300 contestants against each other where they showcased their prowess in reciting the Quran.
Abdifatah managed to fend off the competition to walk away with the Ksh2 million cash prize.
The young student, from Mus'ab Binu Cumary, was accompanied by her teacher when she received the award.
