CLC Kenya Writing

CLC Kenya Onyx Writing Class 2026

CLC Kenya Onyx Writing Class 2026

CLC Kenya Celebrates 18 Graduating Writers from the Onyx Writing Class

CLC Kenya joyfully celebrates the graduation of 18 writers from the Onyx Writing Class, marking another milestone in equipping and raising Christian authors to impact lives through literature.

The graduating class brings together writers developing manuscripts across a range of genres, including Christian living, women, biography, fiction, leadership and young adult literature. Their graduation celebrates months of learning, manuscript development, mentorship and commitment to stewarding their God-given messages with excellence.

The virtual graduation will be held on 21st August, 2026 at 6.00pm EAT / 5.00pm SAST, bringing together the graduates, facilitators, family, friends and the wider CLC writing community to celebrate this important step in their authorship and publishing journeys.

Onyx Writing Mentorship Class 2026

Meet the Graduates

The Onyx Writing Mentorship Class brought together writers with different stories, experiences and areas of calling, united by one goal: to develop their manuscripts and grow in the craft of writing.

From Christian living and leadership to biography, fiction, women, young adults and other areas of impact, these graduates represent a growing community of writers committed to using the written word meaningfully.

We celebrate the progress they have made and invite you to meet each member of the 2026 Onyx Writing Class below.

CLC Kenya Writing Mentorship Class

Onyx Writing Mentorship Class 2026

Virtual Graduation Programme

Friday, 21st August, 2026 • 6.00 p.m. – 7.30 p.m. • Zoom
6.00–6.08 p.m.

Welcome, Opening Prayer & Setting the Moment

Welcome graduates, families, friends and the CLC community.

Tonight we celebrate more than completed manuscripts. We celebrate messages entrusted by God to eighteen writers. Different stories. Different audiences. Different journeys. Yet together, their books speak about surrender, identity, healing, hope, legacy, purpose and victory.
6.08–6.20 p.m.
Session 1

When Faith Becomes Personal

Surrender, Authenticity and Relationship with God

Before purpose, healing, writing or impact comes our personal response to God. This opening cluster explores surrender, the barriers that keep us from saying yes, and the journey from religious performance into genuine relationship with Jesus Christ.

Jackline Ingasian
01

Jackline Ingasian

Your Yes Could Change Everything: Jackline Ingasian on Surrendering to God

Jackline opens the author presentations with a foundational question: Will you say yes to God?

Highlight

Our journey begins with surrender. But saying yes to God also calls us away from appearances and into an authentic relationship with Him.

Adnah McKenna
02

Adnah McKenna

Before You Say No: Adnah McKenna on Inadequacy, Perfectionism and the Idols We Do Not Recognise

Adnah’s subject takes the conversation deeper. Sometimes our inability to say yes is not rebellion in the obvious sense. It can hide beneath feelings of inadequacy, perfectionism and our dependence on things other than God.

Highlight

God is not merely calling us to perform better. He is calling us into relationship.

Chrystal Hera
03

Chrystal Hera

Beyond Religious Performance: Chrystal Hera on Finding Joy in a Growing Relationship with Jesus

Chrystal completes this opening cluster with a hopeful reflection on moving from outward religious performance and hidden sadness towards a growing, genuine relationship with Jesus Christ.

Highlight

Faith becomes transformative when it moves beyond outward performance and grows into a sincere, daily relationship with Jesus Christ.

Session’s Closing Thought

Say yes → confront what keeps you from saying yes → move from performance into relationship.

6.20–6.32 p.m.
Session 2

Knowing Who You Are

Identity, Worth and Belonging

Once relationship with God is established, the next question becomes: Who am I because I belong to Him? This cluster explores identity at different stages of life, from the formative teenage years to adulthood, and the importance of understanding our God-given worth.

Margaret Cheruiyot
04

Margaret Cheruiyot

My True Identity: Margaret Cheruiyot on Helping Teenagers Discover Who They Are in God

Margaret introduces the subject of identity at one of life’s most formative stages, encouraging teenagers to discover who they are in God before the world defines them.

Highlight

The earlier young people understand who they are in God, the stronger their foundation becomes for navigating the pressures, questions and choices of life.

Valerian Vanessa Kisambira
05

Valerian Vanessa Kisambira

You Are Never Too Young to Know Who You Are in God: Valerian Vanessa Kisambira on Identity for Young People

Valerian reinforces the message that children and young people do not have to wait until adulthood to develop a personal relationship with God or understand their identity in Him.

Highlight

Knowing God is not something reserved for adulthood. Young people can begin now to build faith, identity and belonging on the foundation of Christ.

Dr. Lillian Mukuhi Kimani
06

Dr. Lillian Mukuhi Kimani

You Were Never Created to Live Beneath Your God-Given Worth: Dr. Lillian Mukuhi Kimani on Purpose and Identity

Dr Lillian broadens the conversation into adulthood, challenging beliefs that cause people, particularly women, to live beneath their God-given worth, identity and purpose.

Highlight

When we understand our worth through God’s eyes, we are better able to reject limiting beliefs and step confidently into the purpose He has entrusted to us.

Session’s Closing Thought

Know God → know who you are → refuse to live beneath that identity.

6.32–6.44 p.m.
Session 3

God Can Heal What Hurt You

Wounds, Forgiveness and Restoration

Having established identity, we can acknowledge that life sometimes wounds that identity. This cluster explores the pain caused by others, the freedom that comes through forgiveness, and the hope of restoration when life takes an unexpected turn.

Elizabeth Ogweno
07

Elizabeth Ogweno

You Can Heal From What Hurt You: Elizabeth Ogweno on Overcoming Bullying

Elizabeth begins with wounds caused by the actions and words of others, reminding us that painful experiences may leave deep marks, but they do not have to determine the rest of our story.

Highlight

What wounded you may be part of your story, but it does not have to become your identity. Healing makes it possible to move forward without allowing yesterday’s pain to define tomorrow.

Miriam Mwene
08

Miriam Mwene

You Cannot Heal While Holding On: Miriam Mwene on the Freedom of Forgiveness

Elizabeth asks us to acknowledge the hurt. Miriam takes the journey further by asking what we will do with it. Forgiveness opens the way for us to stop carrying wounds that continue to weigh down the heart.

Highlight

Healing often requires us not only to acknowledge what happened to us, but also to release what we have been carrying.

Florence Makosi
09

Florence Makosi

Life May Take an Unexpected Turn, but Hope Is Not Lost: Florence Makosi on Healing and Restoration

Florence brings the cluster towards restoration, reminding us that unexpected turns, painful discoveries and difficult seasons do not have to become the end of the story.

Highlight

An unexpected chapter does not mean the whole story is lost. God can meet us in what changed, heal what was broken and lead us towards restoration.

Session’s Closing Thought

Acknowledge the wound → release what you are holding → allow God to restore.

6.44–6.56 p.m.
Session 4

When Life Changes Through Loss

Grief, God’s Presence and Moving Forward

Loss can alter the course of life in ways we never expected. This reflective cluster explores God’s presence in seasons of loneliness, the hope that remains even in grief, and the courage to eventually rise, break camp and move forward.

Naomi Wangari
10

Naomi Wangari

While Life May Leave You Alone, God Never Does: Naomi Wangari on His Faithfulness to Widows

Naomi begins this reflective journey with the assurance of God’s presence when loss creates loneliness, reminding widows that even when life changes dramatically, God remains faithful and near.

Highlight

Loss may change who stands beside you, but it never changes the faithfulness of the God who remains with you.

Beryl Bilo
11

Beryl Bilo

Grief May Change Your Life, but It Does Not Have to End Your Hope: Beryl Bilo on Moving Forward After Loss

Beryl moves the conversation from God’s presence to the possibility of hope. Grief may reshape life and leave lasting memories, but it does not have to silence hope or determine what comes next.

Highlight

Grief may change the shape of your life, but it does not have to write the final chapter. Hope can remain even while healing takes time.

Rosemary Gitachu
12

Rosemary Gitachu

Grief Is Not the End of the Journey: Rosemary Gitachu on Breaking Camp and Moving Forward

Rosemary closes this cluster with the call to move forward after devastating loss. There is a season to grieve, but there can also come a moment when God calls us to rise, break camp and continue the journey.

Highlight

“Break camp and advance” reminds us that moving forward does not erase the people or experiences we have lost. It means trusting God with the next part of the journey.

Session’s Closing Thought

God remains → hope remains → the time eventually comes to break camp and move forward.

6.56–7.08 p.m.
Session 5

Stories That Should Outlive Us

Wisdom, Legacy and the Significance of Every Life

Having journeyed through loss, there is a beautiful natural progression into what remains after us. This cluster reflects on the wisdom we inherit, the stories we preserve, and the truth that every God-given life carries significance worth remembering.

Stella Kimani
13

Stella Kimani

The Wisdom We Inherit Can Outlive Us: Stella Kimani on Preserving a Mother’s Legacy

Stella begins this cluster with the wisdom one generation passes to another, reminding us that the lessons entrusted to us can continue shaping lives long after the person who first shared them is gone.

Highlight

Wisdom becomes legacy when what one generation has learnt is intentionally preserved and passed on to the next.

Rosemary Rop
14

Rosemary Rop

Do Not Let Your Story Die With You: Rosemary Rop on Her Father’s Legacy

Rosemary takes us from receiving legacy to intentionally documenting and preserving it, demonstrating how writing can become a bridge between one generation and another.

Highlight

Stories that are never told can disappear with a generation. Preserving them gives those who come after us the opportunity to learn, remember and build upon what came before.

Joyce Muraya
15

Joyce Muraya

Your Story Matters More Than You Think: Joyce Muraya on Finding Purpose in the Overlooked

Joyce widens the conversation by reminding us that legacy is not reserved for famous or highly visible people. Scripture contains people we barely notice, yet God considered their lives significant enough to preserve their stories.

Highlight

A life does not have to be famous to be significant. God can use seemingly ordinary stories to reveal purpose, faithfulness and lessons that endure.

Session’s Closing Thought

Receive wisdom → preserve legacy → recognise that every God-given story has significance.

7.08–7.20 p.m.
Session 6

What Will You Do With What God Has Given You?

Vision, Purpose, Stewardship and Victory

The programme now turns towards what lies ahead. We have heard about what shaped these writers, the journeys they have walked and the lessons they carry. Now comes the question of what they will do with what God has placed in their hands. We move from vision, to opportunity, to faithful stewardship, and finally to the assurance that the battles ahead do not mean defeat.

Bishop Daniel Matheka
16

Bishop Daniel Matheka

What Happens When You Dare to See Beyond Today? Bishop Daniel Matheka on Vision and Purpose

Bishop Daniel introduces the forward-looking journey with vision. Before we can move purposefully, we must be willing to see beyond where we presently stand and recognise what God may be calling us towards.

Highlight

Vision allows us to look beyond present circumstances and begin moving intentionally towards the purpose God has placed before us.

Andrew Mbugua Ndungu
17

Andrew Mbugua Ndungu

Some Opportunities Will Not Wait Forever: Andrew Mbugua Ndungu on Stewarding What God Gives You

Andrew takes the conversation from seeing to acting. Vision alone is not enough. There comes a point when the opportunities God places before us must be recognised, embraced and faithfully stewarded.

Highlight

Graduation places manuscripts, knowledge, opportunities, networks and growing platforms into the hands of these writers. The question now becomes: What will you do with what has been placed in your hands?

Magdaline Mwithaga
Final Graduate
18

Magdaline Mwithaga

The Battle Does Not Mean You Have Lost: Magdaline Mwithaga on Living as a Victor in Christ

Magdaline brings the graduate presentations to a powerful conclusion. The journey of faith, purpose and authorship will not always be easy. There may be battles with identity, inadequacy, pain, grief, opportunity and even the publishing journey itself, but difficulty is not evidence of defeat.

Victory Declaration

The existence of a battle is not evidence of defeat. In Christ, we can face what lies ahead knowing that the battle does not mean we have lost.

Session’s Closing Thought

See it → recognise the opportunity → steward it faithfully → face what comes as a victor in Christ.

7.20–7.30 p.m.
Session 7

Graduation Charge, Commissioning & Closing Prayer

As the graduation draws to a close, the eighteen messages come together in one final call: to faithfully steward the words, stories and assignments God has placed in the hands of these writers.

The Collective Journey

Some of you are calling readers to say yes to God. Some are helping them discover who they are. Some are writing towards wounds and healing. Some are speaking into grief and restoration. Some are preserving wisdom and legacy. Others are calling people towards vision, purpose and faithful stewardship.

These may be eighteen different books, but all eighteen remind us that words can become vessels through which God ministers to people.

Today, therefore, we do not merely congratulate you for completing a writing class. We commission you to steward the messages God has placed in your hands faithfully.

Commissioning Scripture

1 Peter 4:10

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
7.20–7.24 p.m.
01

Graduation Charge

A final word of encouragement and responsibility to the graduating writers as they move from writing mentorship into authorship, publishing and impact.

7.24–7.27 p.m.
02

Recognition & Congratulations

Celebrating the entire Onyx Writing Mentorship Class 2026 and recognising the commitment, growth and work represented by all eighteen graduates.

7.27–7.30 p.m.
03

Commissioning Prayer & Official Close

A prayer of commissioning over the graduates, their manuscripts, their future books and the readers whose lives will be impacted through their words.

Go Forth and Steward the Message

Write faithfully. Publish purposefully. Serve your readers well. And may every message entrusted to you become an instrument of God’s grace.

CLC Writing Mentorship Class

Next Writing Mentorship Class Intake

Your Writing Journey Could Be Next

The next CLC Writing Mentorship Class intake begins in December 2026, bringing together aspiring and developing writers from across Africa who are ready to move from an idea to a stronger, more purposeful manuscript.

Kenya Uganda South Africa Eswatini Botswana Zimbabwe
For Aspiring & Developing Writers

If there is a book in your heart, this could be the season to begin.

Across Africa

Country Leadership Teams Contacts

Kenya

Jackline Ingasian

+254 707 463 007

Uganda

Richard Mwebesa

+256 776 712 962

South Africa

Zinhle Ramashala

+27 79 461 8725

Eswatini

Stanley
+268 7695 4899

Nelton
+268 7935 1067

Botswana

Dr. Daniel Matematema

+267 74 655 674

Zimbabwe

Coach Tafadzwa Rwizi

+263 77 237 4639
Ready to Learn More?

Discover how writing mentorship can help you develop your idea, strengthen your manuscript and prepare for the publishing journey.

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