Kenya: How TikTok Creators Are Revolutionizing Kiswahili Language Education

4 July 2024
Capital FM (Nairobi)

On 7 July, the world will celebrate World Kiswahili Language Day, recognizing the global importance of Kiswahili in uniting communities across Africa. TikTok, known for inspiring creativity and spreading joy, has become a hub for practical solutions to real-life challenges, captivating its community with innovative and locally relevant content.

#Kiswahili and #SwahiliTikTok are a few of the popular hashtags Kiswahili-speaking communities and enthusiasts use to share content on TikTok. From food recipes and fashion tips to entertainment and language education, the Swahili-speaking community has embraced Kiswahili to bring people together.

Kiswahili is Africa's most internationally recognized language and is spoken widely across the continent. According to UNESCO, with over 200 million users globally, it stands among the select few languages with such a vast reach. This year, for the first time, Kenya will host the World Kiswahili Language Day celebrations under the theme: 'Kiswahili, Multilingual Education and the Enhancement of Peace'. The annual celebration aims to promote Kiswahili as a symbol of unity, peace, and multiculturalism.

The East African Community (EAC) countries--Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, DRC, South Sudan, and Burundi--are known for their proficiency in Kiswahili. Kenya and Tanzania have Kiswahili as their national languages, and as part of this year's celebrations, Kenya is expected to declare a National Kiswahili Day, encouraging everyone to speak the language.

"The emergence of Kenyan TikTok content creators dedicated to teaching Kiswahili is a commendable effort in preserving and promoting cultural and linguistic heritage. Embracing digital platforms for language education is crucial in ensuring the continued global relevance and appeal of Kiswahili to the global community," said Boniswa Sidwaba, Head of Operations Sub-Saharan Africa at TikTok.

Several TikTok creators across East Africa are using the platform to educate others about Kiswahili and integrate it into various linguistic communities.

Read the original article on Capital FM.

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