Children’s literature in Africa is going through an exciting transformation. Across the continent, more and more people are recognizing the powerful role that books play in the early years of a child’s life. This growing awareness is driving a new wave of creativity, innovation, and investment in stories that help children learn, imagine, and grow. One of the biggest changes we are seeing is the focus on foundational learning. Educators, parents, and communities are paying closer attention to how children begin their literacy journeys. They understand that strong reading skills built in the early years can lay the foundation for success in school and beyond. At the same time, technology is opening new doors. The rise of digital publishing has made it easier to create and share stories. Interactive storytelling apps, e-books, and digital libraries are helping children across the continent access books in ways that were not possible before. This is especially important in areas where access to physical books is limited. Urbanization is also playing a role. As cities grow and more families move into urban areas, literacy rates are rising. These changes are creating new opportunities to bring literature into homes, schools, and public spaces. Publishers and authors are stepping up to meet the demand with stories that reflect African cultures, languages, and experiences.  Literacy champions across Africa are proving that when children have access to content that speaks to their realities and dreams, learning becomes not just easier but joyful. The stories being written today are not only changing how children read but also how they see the world and their place in it. Together, these efforts are reshaping the future of children’s literature in Africa. From classrooms powered by tablets to villages where children gather around mobile libraries, the continent is full of new and inspiring ways to get culturally relevant content into young minds.

When children grow up in multilingual or international environments, learning to read in a second language becomes an important part of their education. But reading in another language isn’t easy. In fact, researchers say it’s one of the hardest skills to master, especially when aiming for strong, confident reading abilities. One researcher, Grabe (2002), points out that reading in a second language takes a lot of work. It is not just about knowing the words. It’s also about knowing  why  we read and how to read with a clear purpose.  In his study, Grabe explains that people read for different reasons. He describes four main purposes for reading. Each of these purposes comes with its own strategies to help the reader understand the text better. For example, someone reading for fun might approach a story differently than someone reading to learn new information. Understanding the purpose behind reading helps children use the right tools to get what they need from a book. It also shows us that reading is more than just recognizing words. It involves thinking carefully, using the right strategies, and connecting what we read to the world around us.  Grabe also highlights that reading doesn’t happen in isolation. Social experiences like reading with friends, listening to a teacher read aloud, or talking about books at home play an important role. All of this together helps children become fluent readers. As we work to promote children’s literature across Africa and beyond, it is important to remember that teaching children how to read is just as important as giving them something to read. When children understand why they are reading and have the tools to help them along the way, reading becomes a meaningful and joyful part of their lives.

In a world overflowing with information, our culture risks fading into the background. With global influences shaping young minds daily, we face the real challenge of raising a generation that may become disconnected from their roots. But culture is not just tradition — it is identity. It’s the invisible thread that binds generations, fuels pride, and gives us a sense of belonging. Culture defines us. It’s the force that drives us to achieve the impossible, with love and unity as our foundation. And when we speak of culture, African heritage stands tall as one of the most beautiful, diverse, and resilient. Our rich storytelling traditions, vibrant music and dance, flavorful food, and dynamic languages reflect a legacy of creativity, strength, and courage to explore the unknown. These are treasures worth holding onto and passing on. Yet, in today’s digital world, how do we ensure our children are not only entertained but also deeply connected to their heritage? That’s where the Muna Kalati App comes in. More than just a digital library, Muna Kalati is a cultural bridge — a vibrant platform filled with hundreds of African-inspired animated stories, eBooks, and audiobooks created to celebrate and preserve our heritage. Whether it's a bedtime story in Swahili, a tale from Ghanaian folklore, or a lesson on bravery through an African heroine, Muna Kalati ensures our children grow up confident in their identity and proud of their roots. The future of African culture depends on what we pass down today. Join the movement with Muna Kalati. Let’s raise a generation proud of who they are.

Late yesterday afternoon, some of our team members and I visited a few schools to connect with educators and parents about the Muna Kalati app — our Afrocentric digital library built for African children. These sessions are always enlightening, but something unexpected caught my attention at one of the schools. On their notice board, there it was: “Education’s purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one.” — Malcolm Forbes I stood there for a moment and smiled. That one quote captured everything I believe education should be. What does it mean to have an open mind? Too often, education is seen as a process of simply filling a child’s mind with facts and figures. But true learning — transformational learning — opens the mind. It encourages children to ask questions, consider different perspectives, and stay curious. It invites them to challenge assumptions and embrace new ideas. For instance, what if we questioned the long-held assumption that English is the only “gateway” language to success? What if we dared to imagine a world where African languages are just as valued, celebrated, and even dominant in global spaces? And what if we embraced the powerful possibility that Africans can educate their children using content created by Africans — for Africans? This is exactly why Muna Kalati exists. We’re building more than an app. We’re building a space where African children can see themselves in the stories they read. Our diverse cultures, languages, and values are proudly represented. Local storytellers and educators can share their voices with millions of young readers. Whether it’s a tale from Ghana, a folktale from Cameroon, or a language lesson in Swahili — every piece of content on Muna Kalati is carefully crafted to affirm identity, spark imagination, and strengthen cultural connection. Maybe it’s time we take a second look. The world is changing, and our approach to education must evolve with it. Let’s reconsider what we teach our children, how we teach them, and whose stories we use to shape their minds. And if what I’ve shared here resonates with you — even a little — I invite you to take the first step with us: 👉🏾 Download the Muna Kalati App 👉🏾 Sign up and explore 👉🏾 Let your child experience the joy of learning in a way that feels like home We’re open to your feedback, your ideas, and your collaboration. Let’s build a future where African children grow up proud of who they are — and where they come from. Together, we can redefine what education means for the next generation. 🌍📖

Date: December 2024 In an effort to enhance literacy education, early and upper-grade educators, including headteachers from four basic schools in Saltpond, participated in a transformative two-day workshop on organized by Reading Beyond Borders in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service. The workshop opened with inspiring remarks from the Chairperson, Prof. Dora Edu-Boandoh, a former Pro Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast who shared the vital role of developing one’s mother tongue as a foundation before acquiring additional languages. She eloquently stated that losing one's mother tongue equates to losing one’s identity. She therefore highlighted the importance of nurturing linguistic roots for building a diverse identity. Prof. Edu-Boandoh also stressed the significance of bilingual storybooks, encouraging the idea that such resources greatly enhance learners' ability to relate to and comprehend what they read. The primary aim of the workshop was to equip educators with effective strategies to improve reading skills and instil a love for reading among students. Participants engaged in a series of hands-on activities focused on creating Teaching and Learning Materials that implement a bilingual storybook approach. This method is designed to enhance vocabulary knowledge, morphological awareness, and oral reading fluency among learners, ensuring a more engaging learning experience. At the end of the sessions, educators received a wealth of resources, including books, pencils, toys, and localised vocabulary pockets for keeping vocabulary, among other essential materials. These resources are instrumental in helping educators design effective tools that support teaching and learning to improve reading skills among their students. The workshop also provided a platform for educators to voice the challenges they encounter while attempting to innovate their teaching practices. Their feedback served as valuable insights into the ongoing need for professional development and support in the field of education. Reflecting on the success of the workshop, the participating educators and representatives from the Ghana Education Service expressed a strong desire for more training opportunities of this nature. The positive response reveals the commitment of educators to improve literacy outcomes for their students and highlights the importance of continued professional development. As we look to the future, initiatives like the Reading Beyond Borders workshop play a crucial role in empowering educators, forging stronger connections between languages and identities, and promoting a generation of skilled and confident readers, remarked one of the participants.

Monday’s Ball,  by author and illustrator Segun O. Mosuro, tells the story of a boy who loved to play football but was always left out by his peers because he wasn’t considered good enough. His quest to buy a ball to practice the sport sends him on a thrilling adventure he would never forget. A diverse work,  Monday’s Ball  exposes children to cultures underrepresented in classic children’s books. Monday’s Ball is set in Nigeria and features African characters and fish found in the Lagos Lagoon and Gulf of Guinea. Encouraging conversations about culture and the exploration of new ones,  Monday’s Ball  is a valuable cultural tool that exposes children to diversity and traditions that may be unfamiliar in their day-to-day lives.  I wanted to paint a picture of life on Lagos Lagoon and the people that live there. Hopefully, children around the world will be able to relate to Monday and his friends,” said Segun O. Mosuro.

La bande dessinée An unexpected  adventure   est un album photo, fruit de la collaboration de l’écrivaine Carine Jooste, Emma Bosman l’illustratrice et Nadène Kriel la designer. D’un titre évocateur, cette compilation anglaise d’images de prime à bord lève le voile sur les dessous d’une aventure inattendue. Alors, de quoi est-il réellement question ? - L’analyse du paratexte  La visualisation de la première de couverture de cette bande dessinée laisse transparaître un voyage imaginaire dans lequel le lecteur sera englouti dès l’ouverture du livre. En effet, on peut y observer une multitude de couleur qui crée un univers féérique associant du vert, de l’orange et du jaune, de la verdure, de tous petits poissons et une étoile de mer qui semblent en mouvement de part et d’autre du cadre. En plein centre de la feuille, l’on remarque une bulle blanche contenant le titre du livre, les noms des auteurs, ainsi qu’un casque d’astronaute. Sur la partie gauche de cette bulle non loin du titre, quelque millimètre au-dessus, l’on aperçoit un oiseau ayant pris son envol, placé face à une planète entourée de deux étoiles. Aussi pouvons-nous voir un dessin qui se rapproche d’un livre ouvert à partir duquel tout cet univers imaginaire paraît s’évader. Et au dos du livre, il est possible d’identifier un oiseau orange en plein vol. De prime à bord, le sens qui émane des éléments du paratexte est le suivant : l’album photo propose une aventure excitante rien qu’en feuilletant un livre. Cependant, le supposé sens avancé est-il celui traduit par les auteurs de cet album photo ? - Que dire du contenu de la BD ? Il convient de mentionner que ce livre regorge de douze (12) photos dépourvues de commentaires. Ces photos relatent les différentes aventures d’un jeune garçon qui passait un après-midi ennuyeux, jusqu’à ce qu’il se rende dans une bibliothèque accompagné de sa mère pour se procurer un livre afin de s’occuper. Après avoir parcouru les rayons que contient cette bibliothèque, ce garçon semble avoir trouvé le livre qui l’arrachera enfin de l’ennui, d’où l’émerveillement sur son visage comme nous le voyons sur l’image ci-dessous. Son aventure livresque débute par une rencontre brève mais  magique avec un dinosaure, s’enchaîne avec une plongée qui lui permet de nager avec et au milieu des poissons et des étoiles de mer. Très vite, il se retrouve dans l’espace muni d’un casque d’astronaute. Toujours euphorique, il esquisse un grand sourire étant donné qu’il flotte au côté des astres. Aussitôt, son aventure spatiale s’abrège lorsqu’il atterrit sur le dos d’un aigle. Très tôt, le jeune garçon s’endort sur celui-ci quand tout à coup entouré de livres, il se fait réveillé par sa mère. L’album photo s’achève sur une image où le jeune garçon partage son voyage dans l’imaginaire avec sa mère. Après avoir été plongé dans cette aventure courte mais intense, quel intérêt a-t-on de nous procurer ce livre photo ? - Pourquoi recommander cet album photo ? La particularité de ce livre est qu’il est dépourvu de texte comme il a déjà été noté plus haut. Cette particularité permet à tout lecteur de réécrire lui-même l’histoire en interprétant les images. Cette volonté des auteurs peut s’avérer très importante pour les jeunes lecteurs dans la mesure où, ceci peut être un moyen afin qu’ils laissent libre cours à leur imagination. Ce qui leur permet de développer des compétences spécifiques à l’instar de la capacité d’interpréter, de se faire une opinion sur un sujet. Aussi faut-il remarquer que ce livre est digne d’intérêt parce qu’il est un moyen de s’occuper, de lutter contre l’ennui tout en permettant de s’évader, de vivre de nouvelles aventures rien qu’en feuilletant l’album photo. Somme toute, il convient de retenir que ce livre est un voyage dans l’imaginaire qui absorbe le lecteur dans les différentes aventures du jeune garçon sans toutefois bouger d’un pouce.                                                                                                                   NSELEL Guilaine

Every revolutionary magazine needs a striking cover, and in January 1920, appeared The Brownies Book , one of the first Black African children's literatures, “A Monthly Magazine For the Children of the Sun. Designed for All Children, But Especially For Ours.” When  The Brownies’ Book  first hit presses in 1920, stories for or about Black children were largely missing from the landscape of  children’s literature . As the creators of  The Brownies’ Book , including the scholar and visionary  W.E.B. Du Bois , put it: “ The Brownies’ Book  ran from just January 1920 to December 1921 before encountering financial difficulties and ceasing to publish, but it helped foster a much longer lasting sense of pride and self-identity in its young readers and played a key part in sparking the development of African-American children’s literature. The magazine was in many ways ahead of its time—and even our own, in which stories for Black children and by Black authors and illustrators continue to be underrepresented in children’s literature. But it was nonetheless an important and impactful effort. Du Bois claimed in his autobiography that  The Brownies’ Book  was one of the most satisfying efforts of his life .

Many parents want their kids to develop a lifelong culture of reading and writing. But from the desire to the reality, there are huge gaps. For many are not creating that enabling environment for reading at home. Most are recommending their kids to read, explaining how books are important, and bla bla bla. Those who make some extra efforts may buy them the required academic books, expecting the school teacher to use them to develop the interest and culture of reading in their kids. But most of these parents are forgetting that kids aren’t doing what we tell them to do, but what they see us doing. Hence, the need for parents to develop a reading and writing culture with their kids through different activities that would enable these kids to not only hear that books are useful but to understand directly that from their practice and experience. The story we are about to share today is from Stacey Fru, a Cameroonian and Johannesburg-based bestselling multiple international award-winning child author of chapter books, activist, philanthropist, and public speaker. I met her and her mother, Victorine Shu, at the World Youth Forum in March 2019, where her daughter received another award from the Egyptian president, El Sisi. Even though Stacey Fru is now an internationally acclaimed child author, she has always acknowledged the role of her mother, Victorine Shu, in nurturing her interest in reading and writing, which has led to the writing of her first book, “ Smelly Cats.". This book originated from a positive frustration with her mother, who had written a book without telling her and her siblings. When she discovered this, she felt jealous, and this prompted her to do the same. Her mother, Victorine Mbong Shu, only discovered that she had written a book after she already completed it, and so she edited it and took it to be illustrated. Since then, young Stacey has kept her pen and paper close and written more books. Some have not yet been published. Beyond just encouraging her daughter to read, Victorine also created the enabling environment at home, limiting the potential distractors that could have hindered her daughter's time and interest for reading: "When I was young, our parents used to influence us to read and write, and that inspired me to also write," she said. She added that the fact that they didn't have a television also helped her to focus on her writing. "Stacey is a sneaky writer. Usually, she loves being technology, which could be an iPad or a computer, because we don't have television. She also loves being in the kitchen, cooking. She loves exploring, and she experiments a lot." Said her mother, Victorine Shu. To keep the siblings connected, Shu and her husband tried to have all three of them involved in everyday life activities as well as events related to her writing. Stacey’s mother added that her daughter was also writing other books with the assistance of her younger sister. Fru said other children at her school and community had a lot of respect for her since she published her first book. It drove her to achieve even greater things. The story behind the title of her first book, “Smelly Cats.”. When asked why she titled her first book  Smelly Cats , the young author said the idea was to grab children's attention and make sure they are intrigued enough to read it. "The word smelly is more interesting for children, and cats are energetic animals, and that inspired the title," she said. This book was approved by the South African Department of Basic Education as suitable for young learners from early childhood through primary schools. Stacey won 3 awards for this book and her other works before her 2nd book, ‘Bob and the Snake,’ was published. She will be adding two more books: Where is Tammy  and  Tim's Answer  - to her bookshelf. "The next book is titled  Where is Tammy, and it's about the whole aspect of the kidnapping of children in South Africa. The book is to raise awareness for parents and children who are in the situation," Fru told News24. Stacey as a Philanthropist "If we sell three books, the sale of one book goes to the foundation. What we want to do now is that for every three books sold, one book will go into the donation box," she said . As a giver, Stacey seeks and donates items like books, computers, clothing, and food through her foundation to children and adults. Her mother said the foundation received the books they donated from various African authors, publishers, and supporters. "She wants to only donate African books or books about Africa, and so we ask authors and publishers to donate books, and we give them out," the children's author said. Stacey also runs free workshops for children. She appears in libraries, graduation ceremonies, festivals, book clubs, classrooms, workshops, fairs, international conferences, boardrooms, programs, services and product launches, media, etc. Her major concern for children is evident in her writings and her talks themed: Literacy, Selflessness, Poverty/Inequality, Religion, Jealousy, Ignorance, Safety and Security, Respect, kindness, Honesty, Love, Health, Family and Friendship, Abuse, Role Models, Trafficking, Kidnapping, etc. Stacey’s ambitions Stacey is the voice of the voiceless. When asked what she had to say to other children who aspired to write books and do great things, she said : "I would say: 'Don’t let anyone tell you the sky is the limit when there are footprints on the moon.'" Shu describes her daughter as a playful child who often finds time and sneaks out to go and write. When she becomes old, she would like to be an academic and hopes to obtain a PhD. "I want to get my PhD. I am not sure what yet, but I want to become an academic doctor. I want to travel around the world and share my knowledge and experiences with other people." Stacey’s ambitions for the growth of the African child are extensive. She is the youngest ambassador for Save the Children. Stacey is focused on teaching, motivating, and encouraging others through public talks, writings, and her television projects because she is very disappointed that many children cannot read and write by age 9. Her focus is child abduction/kidnapping, child trafficking, safety and security, and role modeling. You can follow her on Twitter : or Facebook

I’m currently taking a directed study in the education department. The course is called Multicultural Literature . Amongst other elements, the major focus in the course is the representation of people of color (POC) in children’s picture books. As a Zimbabwean and member of the African diaspora, it has been important for me to hone in on the representation of Africa and African characters for my course assignments. Reflecting on my own childhood experience of finding representation in books while I was growing up, I knew finding such books would be a challenge. Throughout my schooling, I’ve attended predominantly white institutions where I was the only POC in the majority of my classes. The books that I had access to were as lacking in diversity as my classes were. I was fortunate that my parents made a conscious effort to get books with African/African American characters and themes in so that I could find myself in literature. One of my favorite books used to be  Nappy Hair  by Carolivia Herron. The beautiful dark-skinned girl with a giant afro on the cover always made me smile. I used to also love  Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters  by John Steptoe. It is a lovely Afro-centric spin on “Princess and the Frog," the western fairytale that most kids learn. But my education and creativity were still quite whitewashed. I can remember writing stories in 3 grade, and all of the characters I created were white and did things that I dreamt of doing. Thinking back on this now is disheartening, because white representation was the default to which I was mostly exposed. It reminds me of a YouTube video I watched a few years back where a young African American girl had a doll with brown skin and a doll with white skin placed in front of her to choose from: The girl chose the white doll because she thought it was more beautiful than the brown-skinned doll. This is the epitome of societal conditioning. So far, my assumptions have been relatively spot-on. I went to the Worcester Public Library two weeks ago to see what I could find, and I only found five children’s picture books that somewhat fit what I was looking for. This is upsetting because in Worcester there are large populations of Ghanaian, Liberian, Kenyan, and Somalis. On the bright side, there were several books with African American characters in them, as well as great selections of books with Spanish-speaking characters from Mexico, Chile, Puerto Rico, and many other countries. The selection at the Worcester Public Library seems like a much more diverse one than in the libraries I went to when I was in elementary school; however, these books are far from outweighing the breadth of literature featuring White characters. I’ve spent time searching online for children's books with African representation. I’ve used several different databases and academic search engines and have come up with between 15 and 20 books. These are books that have been published in the past 10 years in the U.S. This is a tiny amount compared to the thousands of children’s books that are published in the U.S. every year. After having read some of these children's books for my course, I’ve begun to notice a lot of similarities amongst them. Many of the books are African folklore and bedtime stories. They oftentimes teach morals. A lot of them use Africa in a historical context and refer to it in association with slavery. In addition to my reading of children’s books, I have been reading the book Free Within Ourselves: The Development of African American Children’s Literature  by Rudine Sims Bishop. I’m about halfway done with the book. Bishop discusses the origins of African and African American children’s stories as going from songs that taught of history, religion, and slave life. She also introduced the impactful African American writers before and during the Harlem Renaissance. A writer that Bishop has introduced that has helped open up my thinking for this course so far has been W. E.B. Du Bois. I’ve spent time thinking about his  Brownies’ Book and how it was initially developed to empower African Americans by representing them in literature as beautiful, intelligent, valiant people. The publication was intended to shatter the caricatured, stupid, sneaky, workhorse image White writers were continuously producing. His legacy has transcended him in the way that there are now Black authors challenging the White-represented default.  Jaqueline Woodson, an African American, is one of the newer authors who won the scene and has been noted for her book,  Brown Girl Dreaming . But in thinking about the books that I read while growing up and the books that I’ve researched, I keep asking myself: One of the elements I’ve begun to consider in an effort to find an answer to these questions is if African and diasporic Africans are focusing too exclusively on producing supportive works for adults. One of my favorite African writers who is also involved in social justice and education is Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. She has brought to life the stories of Africans in the homeland and immigrant Africans. She and other authors have been so powerful for teens, young adults, and adults. But young children are missing out on these critical opportunities to find representation. This blog has originally been published here .

Pour la première fois dans la ville de Dschang, s’est tenu un atelier de lecture plaisir pour enfants et adolescents 15 juillet au 23 aout 2019.  Plus déterminé que jamais, la dynamique équipe de l’association Muna Kalati a fait quelque chose d’unique à l’Alliance Franco-Camerounaise de Dschang. Quelque 07 encadreurs ont accompagné une vingtaine d’enfants âgés entre 02 et 16 ans pendant plus d’un mois, les Mercredi, Vendredi et samedi de 11h à 14h.  Pour une meilleure gestion des enfants et une meilleure répartition des activités en fonction des âges, ils ont été subdivisés en deux groupes. Le premier était constitué des enfants âgés entre 02 et 09. Le second groupe quant à lui était constitué des petits de 10 à 16 ans. Les enfants ont bénéficié d’un encadrement diversifié ; associant en même temps des instants ludiques et de travail intense, dans une bonne humeur généralisée.  Pendant les deux premières semaines de l’atelier, les enfants, sous l’encadrement de Guinaelle KENGNE, la promotrice de l’évènement, d’Hermann LABOU, poète de la compagnie Afrodram’art et de Suzie MOMO, jeune animatrice culturelle, ont bénéficié des exercices de lecture des livres de jeunesse et des exercices ludiques de comptage. L’activité de lecture avait le mérite d’amener ces derniers à mémoriser progressivement les textes   qui leurs ont permis non seulement d’engranger de nouveaux savoirs dans divers domaines mais aussi de pouvoir réaliser les dessins des personnages présents dans lesdits livres.   Pour un renforcement du climat ludique, une projection du dessin animé Kirikou avait été réalisé. En outre, les comptines et musiques pour enfants avaient le mérite d’agrémenter la joie des enfants.  A travers le jeu d’orthographe, on a pu tester la capacité des enfants à mémoriser les mots contenus dans les livres. Ils ont aussi pendant cette période, bénéficié de l’expertise de Narcisse Fomekong dans le domaine de l’art oratoire, un atout qui a permis à certains de rendre compte des lectures faites à la maison..              Les deux semaines suivantes ont permis d’introduire l’atelier d’écriture et celui de conte. Le premier était animé par le jeune écrivain et membre CLIJEC , Raoul Djimeli . Ce dernier, dans une approche plus ou moins différente de ce qui était fait jusqu’à cette date, a expliqué tout le méta-langage qui entre dans le processus de publication d’un livre. Les enfants ont dès lors été familiarisé à des expressions comme « Auteur, éditeur, illustrateur » entre autres. Pour ce qui est de la seconde activité, le conteur Tombé Franklin, accompagné de la Sanza, a plongé les enfants dans l’univers du conte. A travers une stratégie participative, il a éveillé en eux, un esprit de créativité. A ce titre, la jeune Zoé s’est particulièrement démarquée en créant ses propres histoires malgré son très jeune âge. Pour mettre davantage les enfants devant leurs responsabilités et suscité le Mea Culpa, l’humouriste Hector Flandrin, a conduit les enfants indexer par eux-mêmes les mauvaises  actions qu’ils font au quotidien et de prendre des résolutions afin de s’améliorer. S’acheminant progressivement vers la fin de activités, Madame Jeanine Foyet a formé les enfants sur l’atelier gastronomique et plus précisément sur les différentes recettes envisageables à base de fruits. Ces derniers ont par conséquent appris à réaliser des salades, des brochettes et des jus de fruits.               La dernière semaine de l’atelier a permis de préparer les enfants pour la clôture des activités de l’atelier « Lecture plaisir ». Devant leur famille, les enfants ont donné un spectacle époustouflant, riche et diversifié contenant des Karaokés, des matchs des incollables, des poèmes et contes, des interprétations musicales et autres. Ils ont surtout bénéficié des cadeaux offerts par l’équipe de Muna Kalati et des parchemins, un premier document dans le CV.  Le rendez-vous a été pris pour l’année prochaine pour la deuxième édition pendant les mois de Juillet et Aout 2020.

From the 29th August 2019 to 1st September 2019, Christian Elongué, founder of Muna Kalati, presented the work of the organisation during the 5th IBBY  Africa Regional Meeting in Accra, Ghana. The theme of the Conference was on ‘The importance of Illustrations in Children’s books’. The conference brought together local and international practitioners, supporters and champions of children's literature from Gambia, Brazil, Uganda, Sierra Leone, China, United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, South Africa, and Rwanda such as Meshack Asare, Award-Winning Children's Writer & Illustrator; Liz Page, Executive Secretary of IBBY International; Prof. Vivian Yenika Agbaw, Professor of Literature & Literacy at Penn State University (USA); Carole Bloch, Project Director for the Study of Alternative Education in South Africa (PRAESA) and Hayford Siaw the Director of Ghana Library Authority. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr Shi Ting Wang, the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, urged parents to invest more in books for their children, saying it would better their lives in future. Accessible, affordable and high-quality children literature, play an effective role in bridging the cognitive gap between different cultures, increasing people to people exchange, safeguarding world peace and forging a common community with shared future for mankind. When children developed the habit of reading, it would build their abilities to explore and learn new things. Mr Shi said children’s literature in China had grown ten-fold since 2005, becoming a dynamic and promising sector in the publishing industry. For example, just in 2,000 about 12,000 children’s book were published in China, which had increased to 40,000 in 2015 due to outstanding performance of the publishers and children’s interest in reading. “As China has grown into the second biggest economy in the world, children’s literature are attracting more and more attention of the world,” he noted. He commended Professor Esi Sutherland Addy for her contributions to education, literature, theatre and culture in the past decades.  In her address, the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Hon. Cynthia Mamle Morrison said how pictures speak volumes especially for children and that words do not mean much to them. She added that pictures stick forever and being someone who works with children as a Minister and outside her Ministerial role as a Proprietor she strongly applauds the organizers for this laudable initiative. Charing the meeting, Prof. Esi Sutherland-Addy, advised that African books be made attractive to compete with those on the international market. Madam Akoss Ofori-Mensah, the President of iBBY-Ghana, said illustrations were important to children because pictures fascinated more than words hence the need to use images to make the books attractive. Ofori-Mensah said some books from the colonial era were still being used today because the texts, illustrations, printing and binding were beautifully done.  “As a child, I read stories such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and others. The colonial masters shared their stories with us and I remember my school teacher taught me poems that I can still recite now, made to draw daffodils in my exercise book but until I travelled to the UK, I had never seen daffodils,” Madam Ofori-Mensah said. However, it was time to replace such books with those that are culturally and environmentally relevant for children. Ghana has local stories that could help children affirm their identity, learn about their culture, environment and build their confidence. She therefore called on African publishers to use illustrations to make their books attractive to children During an interview with Muna Kalati’s reporter, Christian Elongué, Mr Mingzhou Zhang, the iBBY President, said that IBBY mandate was to promote the joy of reading and literacy among children and make children’s literature and plays more accessible, affordable and of high quality. He said the high rate of illiteracy in Africa had become a barrier to prosperity, adding that it was good to encourage children to read because it provided them the ability of learning spontaneously. Mr Mingzhou added that reading created wisdom, understanding and broadened the minds of children. Dmitry Suslov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Ghana and Liberia, presented at the conference the upcoming IBBY-2020 International congress, which will be held for the first time in Russia in September next year. On behalf of the IBBY Russian section she invited all participants of the African conference to Moscow. IBBY Ghana Meshack Asare During the IBBY Ghana Mesharck Asare Prize ceremony, the representant of Mrs Rebecca Akuffo-Addo, First Lady of the Republic of Ghana, called on book illustrators to build on the foundations laid by Meshack Asare: "I am most delighted to know that the Ghanaian author and illustrator Mr Meshack Asare has been producing world class children's books. His books have travelled far and wide, translated into many languages and won many prizes". It is encouraging to see African writers and illustrators produce works which are culturally relevant and meet international standards. Mr Shi Ting Wang, the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, said Mr Asare's works were also popular among Chinese children and amongst them was "Sosu's Call" which had always been a best-selling. He said children were the future of Africa and to liberate the continent from the shackles of poverty, children's education was the way to go. He said the embassy would play an active role and serve as a bridge and link to promote cultural, educational exchanges and cooperation China and Africa as well as children's books to solidify the relationship between China and Africa. Zhang Mingzhou, IBBY President, added that children's literature is the basis for building a community of common destiny for mankind, promoting the development of children's literature in all countries to higher standards and letting children have access to high-quality books from an early age: "We shall work together to build a community of common destiny for mankind, and lead mankind to a better future". The Man of the Night, Mr Meshack Asare said one of his best quotes over the years is: "as for us we will store our treasures in the hearts of men", adding that this applies to everyone who was committed to help children and the world at large. "Whatever we have got and all of our resources- we are storing them in the hearts of children," he said. His entire effort is to meet the goal of trying to store their treasures, talents, visions and imaginations in the hearts of men. Mr Edmund Opare, illustrator of books such "Mimi's Mystery", “Mama's Cover cloth” and "City Sounds” was the winner of the first IBBY Ghana Meshack Asare Prize. He said it was a great feeling to win this highly contested prize which would give hope to the younger generation in the publishing industry. He said Ghana has the potential to do what was being done by other nations across the globe and it is important the government together with stakeholders came in to help grow the industry so that books and other material which are printed overseas could be done in the country. Madam Akoss Ofori-Mensah, President, IBBY Ghana, also presented and decorated the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana Mr Shi Ting Wang with a "Kente" cloth, a local cultural dress. The Meeting was hosted by IBBY (International Board for Books for the Young) Ghana, a member-organization that brings together promoters of children's books in Ghana. They collaborate widely to promote literacy, libraries and Ghanaian books for children and young people. They organized the bi-annual IBBY Ghana Meshack Asare Prize for Children's Illustrated Storybooks, which celebrate talented Ghanaian illustrators and promote picture books in Ghana. The official website of the 5th IBBY Africa Conference:  https://www.ibbyghana.org/