Unplugged: Inside social club where phones are banned

“This is my first time here. I have been in forums before, but they were online, which obviously involves screens. This is the first time I have ever had to put away my gadgets completely and still be in a space where people are intentionally working on themselves and I think that’s powerful,” he says.

Serenity Social Club attracts a mix of personalities, but what stands out is the quiet shift happening among men. They are slowly embracing the idea that vulnerability is not a weakness but a choice for well-being.

Mr Guguni is talking about the solo reflection time where attendees spread out in silence to read, paint, write or do absolutely nothing. Sleep, probably. No phones. No pressure. Just themselves.

“I enjoy writing, but I never get the time to do it. Today, I had that time and it felt like I was pouring out parts of myself,” he adds.

What might seem like a simple act of ditching your phone has had profound effects on Mr Guguni.

“There is a lot of inspiration here. Listening to people talk about the books they’re reading, the reasons behind their choices, the book clubs they’ve joined, you realise people show love to themselves in different ways and that’s fascinating. I love meeting people who are trying to improve themselves, not for show but because they want to give something better to the world by doing better for themselves,” he says.

The event isn’t just passive. There are yoga sessions, group conversations and moments of hobbies. For Mr Guguni, African yoga is one of his best activities.

“I’ve never done yoga before. But some of the stretches we did, I realise I’ve been doing them without even knowing it's yoga. Now I want to go home and learn more on YouTube. That’s something I’ll keep doing,” he laughs.

Mr Guguni and a friend have been on an intentional journey to map out their acts of self-care.

“We have been running, camping, trying out restaurants, and just doing things that break the pattern of work and this event was one of the things we planned together. It’s about meeting like-minded people who are intentionally making space for themselves.”

Perhaps the most telling sign of overreliance on his phone is how often he instinctively reaches for it.

“I keep thinking I have it in my hand. That tells you how attached we are to these devices,” he laughs. “I feel at peace, very relaxed. The yoga stretched my body, but it's the breathing, that calmed my mind. I’m more focused and I have remembered something about myself. I have always been expressive, but sometimes I let moments pass without saying what I feel. Today reminded me that it doesn’t hurt to speak your mind.”

Asked to describe the day in one word, Mr Guguni pauses for a second. “Fascinating.”

And would he recommend it?

“Absolutely! Especially to millennials and Gen Zs. Also if you are on TikTok, you need this. That app is designed to keep you scrolling endlessly. But here, you get to scroll through your own thoughts instead.”

In a world where screens fight for our attention so much that even the chaos of a noisy matatu, blaring with music, people still find a way to slip on their earphones into their digital cocoons and get lost in Netflix shows, YouTube, not forgetting the endless scrolling on social media. This little unplugged club is teaching people that sometimes the best connection starts when you disconnect.

The idea behind club

Wanjiru Wanjohi, the founder of the Serenity Social Club, says the intention is to blend personal reflection with community connection.

“The unique thing about our events is that people come and drop off their phones. It is seven-hour digital detox.”

For Ms Wanjiru, the concept began as a personal journey.

“We don’t value me-time. I stopped doing some things and I have become keen on discovering myself. I stopped taking alcohol, I had to find things to replace that, and I started with hiking and reading a lot. It has been a journey,” she says.

The event attracted 96 attendees from all age groups.

The gift of time

For 29-year-old Makena Mitheu, a confessed phone addict, this was a rare and life-giving pause.

“As an ambivert, I felt like both my extrovert and introvert sides were fed. I’m always on TikTok. When I started this journey, I would get distracted easily. If I was reading and wanted to Google something, I would grab my phone and boom, I would stay on social media for two hours, and the book was long forgotten. Many times, I instinctively reached out for my phone. We would be talking about a book or a business model, and I’d go, ‘Oh wait, let me check—’ and then, oh! No phone,” she says.

Ms Makena attended the retreat with her boyfriend, whom she says was behind the idea. She clarifies quickly that they didn’t spend the day glued to each other.

“He was playing cards while I was reading. We only sat together for one session. We really got to experience the day as individuals,” she says.

The gift of time was what struck her most. The first five months of the year have been hectic.

“I work in capital raising and sustainability for a start-up, and I’m always busy. I’m also always studying, doing exams.”

She had just finished an exam the week before and knew she needed to breathe. And breathe she did.

“The morning session stood out for me. We got to pause, talk, and do our hobbies. I haven’t read in a long time. I love reading, but I’ve just not had a chance because—life. Those seven hours saved my life.”

Ms Makena was reading Chimamanda’s new book, Dream Count, during the retreat.

The African yoga also reminded her to return to habits she had let slide. “I usually do yoga, but I hadn’t in a while. I need to get back to this next week at the gym.”

But perhaps what surprised her most was an unexpected feeling.

“Contentment. I knew I’d leave recharged and happy, but not content. Just happy with life as it is,” she says

I want to wake up with birds

At 28, Kelvin Njema finds clarity away from the city chaos.

"I value time outside the normal buzz of the city. That's why even when I was moving last year, I was looking for places with some serenity. I don’t want to wake up to the sound of matatus, I want to hear birds chirping,” he says.

He had just come from a wellness day, one that involved yoga, breathing exercises and something many city dwellers find elusive.

“Beyond the wellness, the yoga, all that, the one thing I enjoy most is talking to people and being comfortable with the uncomfortable silence. When your day is over, you want to sit there. It’s you and your thoughts. No running away from them because they are there,” he says

Running his own impact storytelling business means Mr Njema is often overwhelmed by screens, gadgets and back-to-back demands.

“Business makes you want to curse everyone,” he says, half-joking, half-serious. “But not thinking about work, being in a space where I’m being forced to talk, it grounds me. It helps me focus.”

Mr Njema even allowed himself a rare luxury; daytime sleep during the self-discovery time at the event. “I don’t sleep during the day. But today, I did some breathing exercises, then I just felt like sleeping—and I slept.”

He hadn’t planned to disconnect that deeply initially. He came because a friend invited him.

Asked if he instinctively reached for his phone like most people do during downtime, Mr Njema says, “I’m not that addicted to my phone. I’m the kind of guy who can leave my house without a phone.”

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