12-year-old Kenyan author to produce film

At just 12 years old, Natalie Wambui, has already written three books and she is an international speaker who inspires girls and young women to be the best version of themselves.

Now Natalie has been commissioned by the African Union to produce a film.

Three years ago at the tender age of 9, the young poet-cum-author appeared on a TV talk show and made a wish to meet President Uhuru Kenyatta and First Lady Margaret Kenyatta to present them with copies of her books.

Natalie’s story

That wish came to pass in late November 2016 when Natalie met the President and the First Lady.

Since then, she has met other world leaders at different continents.

Natalie, who is a student at the International School in Nairobi, shares her story and her dreams whenever she gets the opportunity.

Last week, the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) CEO Ezekiel Mutua, during a Zoom meeting, revealed that Natalie has been commissioned to produce a movie to shine a spotlight on various obstacles African children face in life and solutions to these challenges.

The movie titled An Africa Fit For Me will have Natalie’s mother, Priscilla Waithera, as the executive producer.

Young talents

“We should nurture our young talents to become champions of our culture and moral values. KFCB is committed to identifying and nurturing youngsters who are using their talents positively and helping them reach their highest potential,” Dr Mutua said.

During the meeting, Natalie shared a preview of the project as she narrated challenges faced by African children in education and health.

The teen author also cited the importance of quality education and better nutrition as a starting point to build a future for children on the continent.

“As a young girl born and bred in Nairobi, Kenya, I feel there are issues we need to confront, address, and be intentional in order to create a healthy future. These are issues if ignored can bar children from living their full lives and will later affect them as adults,” Natalie said.

Last year, Natalie was the recipient of the International Youth Award at the Global Female Wave of Change Conference in South Africa.

Source: allafrica.com