In Hope, we Thrive-Desmond Boi

(The Speech was delivered at the Anniversary Celebrations of Writers Guild Kenya on 15th June, 2018)

It is with great pleasure, delight and humility that we at Writers Guild Kenya invite you to share with us in marking our 4th Anniversary. It pleases my heart to be part and parcel of a cause that four years ago had not only the potential of transforming the lives of young people with artistry gifts but has since demonstrated that capacity by rekindling hope in the hearts of many with the ability to tell their stories to the world.

Today, we celebrate a once nascent Writers Club that has tremendously grown to stand out as an emblem of hope for young writers, revitalizing their energies to pursue writing the more and streamlining a purposeful creation of artistic works in writing and poetic performance. Familiarly styled as the ‘Journey of Hope’, it is now clear that though Writers Guild Kenya has had its share of setbacks and uncertainties; it is now succinct with its goal of vesting and empowering the talent-goldmine of writing.

Anniversaries are wonderful, magical, celebratory occasion`1s. We look at this incredibly uniting endeavor in retrospect and have no other words but of gratefulness to God that He placed the burden and burning desire in the Founder, Gabriel Dinda, through whom we have had the opportunity to achieve what we have today. The sensitization effort that Writers Guild has done with respect to embracing a constant reading culture and documentation of moments and upholding views through writing is one that every noble and knowledge-loving person will affirm to emphatically. As a matter of fact, we could all agree to the fact that a person who does not read is no different from the one who cannot read.

At this juncture, I must acknowledge all those of us who gladly joined hands with us to seeing through the progress and success we have had in the past four years. A dream works through a team and the fact that you stood with us has been worth the investment of resources and time. On the same note, I congratulate all those of us who have become more daring to write publications and brought others to share in the knowledge, the audacities to churn out books, enduring the painful journey and our articulate poets who have flourished through the platform Writers Guild provides. I will encourage you to keep up with the same spirit and enrich further your imaginations and creativity and educate the world.

And as we take the time to express our gratitude for fantastic years gone by – we turn expectantly to the year that lies ahead. I wish to challenge us to exert ourselves the more, brace up and shift gears and endeavor to create the art that you have for so long procrastinated. As a long time writer, I am well acquainted with the fact that procrastination is one silent thief that has repeatedly deprived of the world good written content from creative minds such as those in here today. I will encourage you to suffocate your distractors and feed your creative faculties in writing by writing more often.

We look forward to another wonderful year – a time to build and strengthen forged relationships even further; a time to create and cherish even more shared memories and a time filled with dreams that are brought ever closer and milestones – whatever they may be – achieved.

Let’s remember that, as once Robert Green said, “Hope is the only bee that makes honey without flowers.” Let’s keep pressing and ever be the sky the limit. Thank you – one and all – for being beside us this past year and may you be ever near in the years ahead.

It is with great pleasure, delight and humility that we at Writers Guild Kenya invite you to share with us in marking our 4th Anniversary. It pleases my heart to be part and parcel of a cause that four years ago had not only the potential of transforming the lives of young people with artistry gifts but has since demonstrated that capacity by rekindling hope in the hearts of many with the ability to tell their stories to the world.

Today, we celebrate a once nascent Writers Club that has tremendously grown to stand out as an emblem of hope for young writers, revitalizing their energies to pursue writing the more and streamlining a purposeful creation of artistic works in writing and poetic performance. Familiarly styled as the ‘Journey of Hope’, it is now clear that though Writers Guild Kenya has had its share of setbacks and uncertainties; it is now succinct with its goal of vesting and empowering the talent-goldmine of writing.

Anniversaries are wonderful, magical, celebratory occasion`1s. We look at this incredibly uniting endeavor in retrospect and have no other words but of gratefulness to God that He placed the burden and burning desire in the Founder, Gabriel Dinda, through whom we have had the opportunity to achieve what we have today. The sensitization effort that Writers Guild has done with respect to embracing a constant reading culture and documentation of moments and upholding views through writing is one that every noble and knowledge-loving person will affirm to emphatically. As a matter of fact, we could all agree to the fact that a person who does not read is no different from the one who cannot read.

At this juncture, I must acknowledge all those of us who gladly joined hands with us to seeing through the progress and success we have had in the past four years. A dream works through a team and the fact that you stood with us has been worth the investment of resources and time. On the same note, I congratulate all those of us who have become more daring to write publications and brought others to share in the knowledge, the audacities to churn out books, enduring the painful journey and our articulate poets who have flourished through the platform Writers Guild provides. I will encourage you to keep up with the same spirit and enrich further your imaginations and creativity and educate the world.

And as we take the time to express our gratitude for fantastic years gone by – we turn expectantly to the year that lies ahead. I wish to challenge us to exert ourselves the more, brace up and shift gears and endeavor to create the art that you have for so long procrastinated. As a long time writer, I am well acquainted with the fact that procrastination is one silent thief that has repeatedly deprived of the world good written content from creative minds such as those in here today. I will encourage you to suffocate your distractors and feed your creative faculties in writing by writing more often.

We look forward to another wonderful year – a time to build and strengthen forged relationships even further; a time to create and cherish even more shared memories and a time filled with dreams that are brought ever closer and milestones – whatever they may be – achieved.

Let’s remember that, as once Robert Green said, “Hope is the only bee that makes honey without flowers.” Let’s keep pressing and ever be the sky the limit. Thank you – one and all – for being beside us this past year and may you be ever near in the years ahead.

Desmond Boi,

Chairperson, Governing Council of Writers Guild Kenya