Alliance Francaise Nairobi, is more than a French language centre and has become a major cultural meeting point for artists, students and communities across Kenya, according to Head of Pedagogy Obilo Ng’ong’o.
Speaking during a Radio Generation interview on Monday, Ng’ong’o said the institution has supported generations of creatives, cultural exchange programmes and language training initiatives extending from Nairobi to regional towns.
Ng’ong’o says, Alliance Francaise was designed as a space where people of different cultures come and meet and talk about everything.”
“It’s a space where we encourage people from different walks of life to just be in a space where you relax, the space that is free, and where you can meet new people, learn new cultures, learn new things,” he said.
Head of Pedagogy described the institution as one of Kenya’s best-known cultural centres, hosting concerts, theatre productions, exhibitions and artistic programmes that have nurtured generations of creatives.
He noted that Alliance Francaise Nairobi had played a role in the growth of several Kenyan artists and creative groups over the years.
“The very first shoot of Churchill’s Life was done at Alliance Francaise,” he highlighted, adding that music groups such as Usoni and Sauti Sol developed around the institution’s creative environment.
According to Ng’ong’o, young musicians frequently gathered within the premises to exchange ideas and collaborate informally.
“You would sit there and play your guitar and somebody else starts singing,” he noted, adding that many artists who connected through Alliance Française later went on to build successful careers in music, production and community work in Kenya and abroad, with some now working in France and other parts of Europe.
Ng’ong’o also stressed that Alliance Francaise operates as a not-for-profit organisation, with revenue generated being redirected into local artistic and cultural initiatives.
“Being a not for profit local organization, all the money that Alliance makes at the end of the year is used to sponsor local artistic activities,” he said.
Beyond Nairobi, he said the organisation has expanded cultural support programmes to Kisumu, Mombasa and Eldoret through partnerships with local leaders, educators and artists.
In Kisumu, Ng’ong’o said the organisation had contributed equipment and facilities to support cultural growth in the region.
“All the music system has been sponsored by Mama Grace Onyango Cultural Center in Kisumu,” he explained, adding that Alliance Francaise had also supported the establishment of a recording studio there.
The Head of Pedagogy at Alliance Francaise Nairobi explained that the institution forms part of a global network of more than 830 centres operating in different countries with a shared mission of encouraging social and cultural dialogue.
He described the organisation as “apolitical and secular,” saying it provides an open environment where people can express ideas freely without religious or political influence.
Alongside cultural activities, Ng’ong’o said the institution also facilitates language learning programmes.
While Alliance Francaise is primarily associated with French instruction, he revealed that centres across East Africa also teach English, Kiswahili and local languages depending on demand.
“If you go to Mombasa, they are big on Kiswahili classes,” he said, while centres in Uganda also offer Luganda lessons.
Ng’ong’o further highlighted the role of cultural exchange in strengthening ties between Kenya and France, particularly in sports and education.
The Alliance Francaise official cited a recent partnership involving French authorities and Kenyan athletics stakeholders that led to professional training opportunities for coaches in France.
“There’s a program by the French government to take these coaches to France for professional training,” he argued.
Ng’ong’o also disclosed that Alliance Francaise played a role in preparing Kenyan police officers deployed to Haiti under the multinational security support mission.
“In 2024 we were called suddenly and told, ‘You know, we have 600 police officers going to Haiti. They don’t speak French. What can you do about it?’” he recounted.
According to him, Alliance Francaise developed an intensive programme within weeks, training officers in both French and Haitian Creole before deployment.
“They learned French and they learned Creole at the same time,” he noted.
Ng’ong’o praised the officers for quickly adapting to the language and cultural training, saying the experience helped them build positive relationships with local communities in Haiti, where they were warmly received, while maintaining that learning a language must go hand in hand with understanding the culture behind it.