For the fourth consecutive year, Muna Kalati's team is deploying on the field to provide children with edutainment moments through the reading for pleasure workshops.  All these children are supervised by devoted monitors, experienced in the art of entertainment and youth animation. A brand new edition in two phases In view of the growing demand, the organizers of the activity namely Alliance Franco-camerounaise of Dschang and Muna Kalati, have decided to organize the event in two phases. The first one has already started and will last until August 05, 2022. The second phase will take place from August 8 to 31 in the premises of the Alliance Franco-Camerounaise of Dschang. For this first phase alone, more than 30 children are vibrating to the rhythm of diversified activities. They are in a favorable environment and can therefore benefit from exceptional moments. After the routine of the past school year, they will literally rediscover themselves through activities tailored to them.  An awareness activity to build learner confidence For the first day of activities, the children were invited to introduce themselves.  Indeed, it was a way of getting them on truck. Although there were some former participants, the present edition gives to notice a preponderance of new ones who will take more time to assimilate. The fact that each child had to introduce themself and execute dance steps, under the ovations of their friends, allowed them to get out of their comfort zones and to especially build up their confidence. Diversified activities Concerned about diversifying the training of learners, with regard to the varied age range of learners, the organizers decided this year to continue with past activities and add them up with others to reinforce the knowledge of the young learners. As usual, there is a grouping in terms of age range into children, and young adults. The educational content is therefore transmitted according to age range.   As for the activities, apart from the workshops that usually fall under the concept of reading for pleasure (animation with nursery rhymes, drawing and coloring, dance, decoration, writing, reading, gastronomy and leisure), the children will now benefit from French and especially English language classes.  Strengthening bilingual training through the inclusion of the English language Given the current context, the added value of this year is undoubtedly the integration of the English language in the workshops. Knowing that bilingual people have an advantage today in the context of socio-professional integration, it has proved important to emphasize the learning of English language from a young age. It also allows a certain opening to a wider world and especially to respond favorably to the context in which they find themselves.  In view of all this, we can already appreciate the hard work of the monitors who spare no effort for the effective running of these activities, which are beneficial for the future of the children. For parents who did not have the opportunity to register their children for this first phase, it is not too late as there will be a second phase.

The boy was born in Carthage, before his family moved to Reunion Island. For the Creole world with which he has an intense relationship, he wrote La Grippe coloniale, converted into images by Serge Huo-Chao-Si. The first volume will be awarded by the grand prize of the ACBD critics, the association of specialized journalists. Appollo : his artist name is already a journey Then came Ile Bourbon 1730, drawn by Lewis Trondheim, and Chroniques du léopard, a story in which he and the cartoonist Téhem portrayed the students who attended the Leconte-de-Lisle high school in Saint-Denis in 1942. His colleague Loo Hui Phang had selected Appollo last March, in the large exhibition that the Angoulême Festival had commissioned to illustrate the profession of scriptwriter. "With Appollo, the way of seeing things changes. Only an islander can shift our view of the world in this way and to this extent." The scriptwriter Loo Hui Phang The work ‘The Desolation’’ takes us to the southern lands. Drawn by Christophe Gaultier, the comic book is published by Dargaud. Now a French teacher, Appollo has traveled around Africa, settling in Kinshasa and Angola. In Nigeria too. To talk about North Africa, he refers back to Antiquity. It resulted in Les Voleurs de Carthage , with the artist Tanquerelle. The contemporary history will give Colonial Commando with Brüno, a jeep ride in the middle of the Sahara desert, alongside the men of the Free French. With the same artist, the comic T'Zee has just been published , an African tragedy , the fall of a dictator in which we can recognize Marshal Mobutu. The scriptwriter imagined it on the model of Phèdre , the play in five acts by Racine. The French teacher is never far away. The cartoonist Brüno. "In Appollo, there is a form of melancholy tinged with humor. The seriousness of the subject matter is presented in a somewhat subterranean way." the cartoonist Brüno The gravity of classical tragedy permeates this impressive fable about a very dark Africa, off the tourist trail. T'Zee , by Brüno and Appollo, published by Dargaud. SOURCE: https://www.francetvinfo.fr/replay-radio/bd-bande-dessinee/un-ete-de-scenaristes-sappollo_5231761.html

On the 22nd July, 2022, Muna Kalati attended an online global networking event on young adult (YA) literature and media organized by  Prof. Bettina Kümmerling-Meibauer of University of Tübingen,  Germany , Prof. Corinna Norrick-Rühl of University of Munster, Germany, Melanie Ramdarshan Bold of the University College of London, Dr. Nithya Sivashankar and Dr. Alison Waller of the University of Roehampton, London.  The goal was to produce informal conversations among YA researchers of all career stages, leading to networking opportunities. Muna Kalati was represented by the founder and CSO, Mr. Christian Elongue who gave a presentation on the history of children and Young Adult literature from a non-Anglophone (Cameroun) perspective. In his presentation, ‘From Cameroon to Africa - Exploring the children and youth publishing industry’ , he succinctly elucidated on the history of young adult literature from 1956 to date with a focus on major authors, publishers and the particularity of the Cameroonian young adult publishing industry to the overall literary landscape in Africa and book diversity globally. He discussed how children’s literature had historically reflected the ideology of dominant cultures in society, the effect of stereotypes in strengthening prejudices and underrepresentation of blacks. Christian Elongue ’s presentation further touched on issues confronting the children and youth publishing industry in Cameroon such as border uncertainty, language barriers, the foreign veil and the prevalence of academic books. The event which was held in two sections was attended by 30 participants from around the globe. The discussions focused on the trends in young adult literature. Among the topics discussed were issues of sexuality, intimacy, toxicity of online culture, peer pressure, societal pressure, transmedia, culture and ethnicity. A few of the discussions at the Global YA Networking event are presented below. Atia Abawi’s novel, A Land of Permanent Goodbyes (2018) which talks about the ordeal of suffering, survival and resilience in young adult trauma narrative was thoroughly dissected by Arya Priyadarshini and Suman Sigroha, both researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, India. They focused on the global effects of war and destruction on the lives of young adults in the Middle East/West Asia region in recent times.  They noted that issues of trauma, distress and survival have affected lives globally, its impact is evident in the significant surge in contemporary young adult fiction with such subject matter. Daniela Ottolenghi, PhD candidate at the University of St Andrews, Buenos Aires, Argentina concentrated on the topic ‘YA readers in Argentina: reading paths through social media’ . She expanded on the motivation of young adults for reading, sharing their pleasure for literature in social media and whether editorial marketing and translation plays a role in influencing their choice of reading materials. Lidong Xiang, Ph.D. candidate, Department of Childhood Studies, Rutgers University-Camden presented on YA literature in the Chinese context by examining Chen Danyan ’s 1988 novel, The Death of a Schoolgirl in which Ningge, the girl protagonist rebel against the pressures and strict disciplinary actions imposed on her by family, school, and the social environment by committing suicide. The narration of the story was from Ningge’s diary and the female journalist investigating her death. Lidong Xiang dissected the narratives of Chinese schoolgirls across literature and media from the lens of cruelty in the socialist and post-socialist eras. In another presentation, Swara Shukla, doctoral candidate in Book Studies, English Department, University of Münster, Germany explored Wattpad , a global digital storytelling platform which has a YA-focused publishing imprint called Wattpad Books. She explained how the Wattpad platform created a space for non-Anglophone YA readers to interact with Anglophone/Western YA readers on culture issues by introducing and exploring Wattpad as an alternate and interactive space for reading YA fiction. Swara further explored “Wattpad-South Asia ”, a community-built page on the Wattpad platform. Wattpad-South Asia curates anthologies of stories written by young authors from Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Indian cultures. As one can see, young adult literature offers a great way for teenagers to transition from childhood into adulthood through a wide range of topics which deal with the issues bordering around puberty, adulthood and life in general. It is a way through which many young Africans can receive answers to questions and issues which were previously considered taboo and swept under the carpet. It’s therefore important for educators and development strategists to include young adult literature and children books in their approaches to educate, empower and change the mindset of young Africans.

There are many organisations all across Africa working to empower children through reading. Listed below are some of the children’s literary organisations making an impact in Africa. 1. African Scholars Fund (South Africa) The African Scholars’ Fund assists promising young school children from needy homes to complete their secondary school education through the provision of awards and guidance. All Children Reading (Global) All Children Reading, which was launched in 2011 advances EdTech research and innovation to improve reading outcomes for marginalised children in low-resource communities. They work in partnership with the Australian Government , USAID and World Vision . They believe that when appropriately applied,  technology can instigate and advance child literacy around the globe.  Furthermore, they also believe in the power of collaboration between many diverse partners (governments, for-profit and nonprofit organisations, foundations and others) to fast advance the progress of their goals. 3. Bisila Bokoko African Literacy Project The mission of Bisila Bokoko African Literacy Project (BBALP)  is to promote literacy among the African people by building well-equipped, modern and sustainable efficient libraries in Africa with the aim to bring the gift of ideas and education to Africa. BBALP is a non-profit, non-partisan international organisation headquartered in New York, USA with subsidiaries in Ghana, France, and Spain. Book Aid International (Ghana) This organisation, in a bid to break the cycle of poverty and help educate children through the provision of cupboard libraries well-stocked with 1,250 books of all genres to schools in Africa. Their activities go in line with Sustainable Development Goals 4 and 10. Book Dash (South Africa) This organisation specialises in the production and provision of free e-books that are downloadable. 6. Canada-Mathare Education Trust (Kenya) This initiative is committed to a just, equitable, diverse and inclusive education program in Kenya through the provision of scholarships to secondary schools, professional development activities and support for post-secondary school. The Canada-Mathacare Education Trust places emphasis on the importance of giving back to society, implementation of an inclusive and equitable approach that responds to the needs and aspirations of the community, commitment to dismantling white supremacy in north-south partnerships and decolonization. 7. Children’s Book Project in Tanzania,  works to improve literacy skills among school children and encourage a culture of reading in the country. It equips  libraries with quality reading materials  and supports the Tanzanian publishing industry to produce quality books for children and young people. COBURWAS International Youth Organisation to Transform Africa (Uganda) This organisation, located in the Kyangwali refugee settlement in Uganda is committed to the provision of refugee children. Education Leadership Community Development (EDULCOD) (Togo) This organisation works towards improving quality and accessible education for impoverished populations. Education Matters (Zimbabwe) Education Matters matches talent with opportunity, believes the youth hold the keys to the future, and helps motivated students who lack financial resources and information to better their educational futures thereby realising their dreams. This literary initiative was registered  in Zimbabwe and works with students in high school to access international higher education through their programs. eKitabu (Tanzania) This organisation provides accessible digital content for inclusive and quality education for all children. Family Literacy Project (South Africa) The project is aimed at families as a means of addressing the low literacy achievement of many pre- and primary school children, and the lack of confidence of parents in their ability to provide support to these children. The family literacy approach supports both children and adults, since parents are the first and most important educators of children. HAAPA Store is a digital content distribution platform from Africa focusing on African contents. Third-party publishers/ producers, storytellers or any person with digital content can create their own accounts, upload their own contents and distribute for free or for sale. Happy Readers (Malawi, Zambia & Zimbabwe) Happy Readers is a social enterprise that directly engages with teachers and pupils with the aim of improving children’s literacy levels. They run several literacy projects in Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Happy Reader publishes books specifically developed to teach children how to read, provide schools with the requisite resources and run training workshops for teachers to further develop skills aimed at advancing literacy education. This initiative also offers monitoring and evaluation of literacy education in schools. Help2Read (South Africa) This is a non-profit organisation which focuses on literacy development and community strengthening through education and youth promotion. Imagine Scholar (South Africa) Imagine Scholar is based on the belief that there is an equal distribution of raw potential in every pocket of the world. Their mission is to equip young leaders with the integrity, skills, and mindsets they need to shape a world they can be proud of. Kakenya’s Dream (Kenya) The mission of this initiative: ‘investing in girls in rural Kenyan communities through educational, health and leadership initiatives to create agents of change’ says it all. Kucetekela Foundation (Zambia) Kucetekela Foundation (KF) is a non-profit organisation founded in 2006 that provides comprehensive scholarships which funds an excellent education at a private secondary school to academically promising but financially disadvantaged Zambian boys and girls. Kucetekela Foundation’s scholarships goes beyond covering tuition by extending to the provision of one-on-one mentoring, internships, community service, counselling, and support for tertiary education to students. 19.  LACED Africa- Literacy for African Child (Education and Development (Nigeria) The Literacy for African Child Education and Development is a Not for Profit, Youth-Led  Organisation born out of resilience and purpose to help children in low-income communities improve their reading and learning culture through literacy development for personal success and global peace. 20. Makomborero (Zimbabwe) Makomborero is a UK registered charity that helps to relieve poverty in Zimbabwe, Africa through the education of children,thereby giving them a great future. Makomborero gives these children hope by offering them the opportunity to fulfil their potential. Nal’ibali  (South Africa) Nal’ibali’s main mission is to encourage a culture of reading in South African homes and communities. Their aim is to use storytelling to improve literacy development.  Translated from isiXhosa, Nal’ibali means “here’s the story,” and in a bid to live up to their name, storytelling is at the heart of all their activities. The organisation is known for their mobile ‘tuk tuk’ libraries which are driven around communities to deliver books to the doorsteps of readers. 22. Project Educate (Zambia) Project Educate is a non-governmental organisation that helps to improve infrastructure and educational standards in Zambia. 23.  Puku Foundation (South Africa) This literacy initiative promotes reading and provides book assistance to children by ensuring access to quality, culturally relevant literature in all the South African languages. 24. Radical Books Collective is a literacy initiative which creates an inclusive, non-commercial and alternative approach to reading and books. They organise virtual events or seminars for book clubs, book and author events on radical, foundational books. 25. Rainbows4Children (Ethiopia) Rainbows4children is an independent foundation set up to break the cycle of poverty through the provision of education to disadvantaged children in Ethiopia–primarily the children of adults living with disabilities such as loss of limbs and blindness. 26. Read to Rise (South Africa) This non-profit organisation is committed to the promotion of youth literacy in under-resourced communities in South Africa. 27. Room to Read (South Africa) – partners with schools, communities and the South African Department of Basic Education to give comprehensive education in local languages. They also provide high functioning and well-equipped libraries in a bid to make a lasting impact by ending poverty and racial inequality. Rwanda Children’s Book Organisation (RCBO) (Rwanda) This is an organisation by Rwandan publishers advocating for the expansion  of the children’s publishing industry in Rwanda by challenging book policies, increasing the capacity to develop local stories, and to grow the use of Rwandan-published children’s books across the country. It was established in 2015. RCBO also hosts events and initiatives to help promote reading and writing in Rwanda. 29.    Rwanda Girls Initiative (Rwanda) This initiative focuses on providing bright young Rwandan girls with  opportunities to learn, grow, and lead both inside and outside the classroom, through the Gashora Girls Academy, to enable them to become the future change-makers that our world needs. 30.  The Book Bus (Malawi &  Zambia) The Book Bus, which was established in 2008  has been working to improve literacy through storytelling, providing books,  materials, and libraries for children and teachers not only in Africa but also in Ecuador and South America. 31.  The School of St. Jude (Tanzania) The School of St. Jude started in 2002 to offer free, quality education to children living in poverty. The school is a pioneering leader in charitable education within Africa. 32.   The Talking Book   (Malawi) This is a project initiated by  ILC Africa, which aims at improving literacy among pre-primary children in rural Malawi by introducing 400 Talking Books to 50 Early Childhood Education centres in Malawi to develop pre-literacy skills in children ages 4-6 years old. The Talking Book is a sustainable and durable battery-powered audio device that can deliver hours of content in rural areas, allowing students and families to listen and learn together. The project works by adapting Malawi’s Early Childhood Development Curriculum into individual lessons, which are then uploaded to the Talking Books. The project won prizes from the Ready2Read Challenge of All Children Reading . 33.   WAAW Foundation (Nigeria) This organisation is focused on mentoring girls in STEM education in Africa. 34.  Windle Trust International (South Sudan, Sudan, and the East Africa region) Windle Trust International is dedicated to increasing access to and improving the quality of education across the breadth of the education sector, from primary schools to the tertiary sector 35.  World Literacy Foundation (Global) The World Literacy Foundation is a global non-profit organisation striving to ensure that every child  has the opportunity to acquire literacy skills and books to reach their full potential, regardless of geographic location. Dear reader, do you know of other literacy initiatives which are not covered by this list? Kindly post your comments to help keep the list up to date.

THE BEST GIFT, written by Hani du Toit is one of the children's books illustrated by Chantelle and Burgen Thorne, designed by Ezra Harerimana, edited by Alison Zikiwith with the help of  the Book Dash and published on the website for free under a Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 license. This means anyone can freely read, download, print, translate and share the books. Characters: The Best Gift deals with creative characters such as: Jibraan, Dad, coach,Sumeya,Sensai Shaukat, baby. The main character is Jibraan. Outline of the Best Gift THE BEST GIFT is about getting your child the education that best suits his or her needs, as well as encouraging their talents. This is learnt through the many performances of Jibraan in the book. First of all, Jibraan used his toys to discover a hidden talent. Then, he got other new talents through playing and training. He is always ready to learn. He never backs away from obstacles. He always seeks to overcome them with courage. His father and his coaches keep encouraging him. Every child is an artist When do you feel most creative? Is it when you are alone, or in the presence of others? Perhaps when you are at home, at work, or while driving somewhere? Are there spaces or environments that make you feel creative? Maybe your kitchen or backyard, a coffee shop, or a craft store? What elements of an environment make you feel creative? Is it the lighting? Perhaps music in the background? Colors or textures around you? Scents in the air? Individuals around you engaging in similar types of activities with you? There are no limits to what can inspire creativity. A variety of carefully chosen materials can foster creativity in children. Think of materials as a language for children. Materials enable children to express themselves, to share what they already know, to demonstrate existing skills, and to learn new skills. Materials should reflect children’s interests, as well as backgrounds, life experiences, and cultures. Additionally, materials should encourage different kinds of group or individual work in your classroom. This can involve spontaneous or more directed play. Children are capable learners, and in their hands, materials have unique abilities to construct and carry meaning and activate many learning processes. Key points Playing with toys can be good for your child’s development. Choose toys based on your child’s age, interests and stage of development. Open-ended toys spark your child’s imagination, creativity and problem-solving skills. You can make toys, use everyday household items as toys, or look for a local toy library. It is okay for you to decide what toys are appropriate for your child

On June 10, 2022, Muna Kalati and APIDCA (Association des Professionnels de l'Information Documentaire du Cameroun pour l'Afrique) have concretized, through the signature of a memorandum of partnership, their desire to collaborate on certain well-determined aspects in Cité du Savoir. In view of the similarities in their projects and actions, they have decided to cooperate on the following aspects. Communication   From now on, each structure will be able to communicate about the upcoming activities of its counterpart, particularly in relation to the common interests of each party. This strategy will increase the visibility of their actions online and on the field at the national and international levels.  For better practice, each party will inform its counterpart of the organization of an activity at least two weeks before the due date. Beyond the simple communication support, there will be an active participation in the different activities of one association or the other.  Organization of activities and events In order to get to know each other better and, above all, to have a greater impact with regard to their experiences, the two organizations will help each other in the organization of their various activities. To facilitate collaboration at this level, it will be necessary that one association or the other informs beforehand, in order to provide assistance. Afterward, there will be discussions to further define the action to be taken.  Technical assistance in the construction of databases Finally, the APIDCA association, enriched by its experience in the construction of databases, will assist the Muna Kalati association from a technical point of view, in its projects of construction of databases of children’s literature in Africa. It is about databases presenting the list of libraries and reading centers for children in Africa, list of publishing houses of African children literature, the list of children’s literature authors in each country of Africa, and the list of the research centers on the children’s literature in Africa.  This strategic intervention will allow us to extend our actions and contribute in our own way to the development of the children's literature sector on the continent. In view of the above, Muna Kalati and APIDCA will now be able to make their voice heard by a larger number of people. This will attract more attention and interaction on documentary information and on the promotion of children's books in Africa.

What better way to celebrate the passing of World Literacy Day than to take a glimpse into the life of Kathy Knowles, an illustrious and inspiring lady who has contributed so much towards literacy in Ghana? Through the setting up of libraries and training of aspiring librarians, she has lighted the beacon of literacy in the hearts of many children and young people. We were welcomed by the serene ambiance, the flora and fauna which contributed to the natural settings of the child-friendly space, when Muna Kalati set out to interview Mrs. Kathy Knowles at the Kathy Knowles Children’s Library in Osu. It was the musical hour and the children were cheerfully and melodiously singing in tune with the resource person. We had the pleasure of meeting and interacting with Edna, a two-year-old toddler who had been introduced to books from an early age and was able to read on her own. Edna’s enjoyment of books was obvious as she carefully flipped through the pages of one book after the other. Kathy Knowles love and passion for serving literacy and the magical world of books to children shone through her eyes as we spoke with her about all she set out to do and her accomplishments. We were greatly inspired by all Mrs. Knowles had achieved from an initiative which had started with a basket of books under trees. Below is the interview with Mrs. Knowles: Muna Kalati (M.K.): Please tell us more about yourself. Kathy Knowles (K.K.): I am a Canadian woman with my second home in Ghana. In 1989, my husband, John, and our four children moved to Ghana when John accepted a job with a Canadian mining company. During our four years in Ghana, I ran a small library for neighbourhood children, initially in our garden and then we moved to a converted 40-foot shipping container. Since our departure in 1993, I have returned to Ghana twice-yearly to continue my volunteer library work that now extends to nine large freestanding libraries. In addition to my library work, I fully embrace my role as a grandmother and being involved in my local Winnipeg community. Muna Kalati: What informed your love for books? Was it as a result of exposure to books at an early age? How many children’s books have you written and published so far? Kathy Knowles: I cannot remember a time when I didn’t love books. My grandfather was an avid reader – often reading a novel a day when he was on holidays – and my mother always had a pile of books at her bedside  table. I can still remember reading my first ‘chapter book’ more than 60 years ago and my mother’s encouragement then. So far Osu Children’s Library Fund , Canada, and Osu Library Fund (OLF) Ghana, have jointly published 55 books. Muna Kalati: How do you arrive at the subject matter and plot for your books? Kathy Knowles: Many of my books are African-focused concept books. In these books I match my photos with simple text that I think Ghanaian children will be able to relate to and appreciate, such as an alphabet and counting book. Recently I wrote Mimi’s Purse , a story inspired by my late grandmother Mimi. Muna Kalati: What made you start setting up libraries for children in Ghana? And how did you sustain your motivation all these years? Kathy Knowles: For several years I lived in Ghana with my family. Local neighbourhood children took an interest in the books we had, and the library idea soon followed. The initial library was only a basket of books with six eager readers under a tree. Last year our libraries (nine free-standing libraries and 6 mini-libraires) received 360,354 visits. OLF’s hardworking librarians are doing their best to create nurturing environments where Sharing the Joy of Reading , our mission statement, is forefront. My role is to support their efforts.It is not always easy. Staff salaries are the responsibility of local municipalities. Often their salaries are late by many months, and we have to fight on their behalf. Muna Kalati: In your opinion, what is the significance of motivating children to enjoy reading? Kathy Knowles: I believe that children seldom develop the joy of reading on their own. One has to bring ‘books alive’ one at a time. Often parents will tell you that they don’t have the luxury of time to read to their children. Of course in some cases they don’t have the literacy skills to do so. Teachers tend to focus on the curriculum. Librarians fill this gap. This to me defines their crucial role. Muna Kalati:  What are some of the unforgettable moments or experiences you have had in your quest to promote literacy among children? Kathy Knowles: In the year 2000, I did a reading study with close to 200 pupils attending government schools in Accra. This included assessing their reading skills at the beginning and the conclusion of the study. The pupils who improved the most were those whose teachers read aloud to them daily and who had opportunities to read quietly themselves. The teachers told me that the books they read aloud were the most sought after books. This validated my understanding of the importance of reading aloud, a cornerstone for all our libraries. Muna Kalati: Can you share some of the challenges you have encountered in setting up libraries in Ghana? My biggest challenge has always been getting the full support of municipalities and assemblies. They don’t perceive libraries as valued community institutions. Salaries are woefully low and don’t keep up with inflation. Muna Kalati: How can social entrepreneurs aspiring to promote children’s literacy circumvent such challenges? Kathy Knowles: Librarians and their libraries need encouragement. What about an “Adopt a Library” approach where financial support is given, encouragement is offered, and perhaps there might be opportunities for social entrepreneurs to volunteer. Muna Kalati: You mentioned a training programme for those interested in setting up children’s libraries and literacy projects; how many people have you trained so far? Kathy Knowles: This is difficult to answer because we have trained lay librarians for more than 25 years. I would guess that we have trained at least 100 librarians. Muna Kalati: In your opinion, what is the ultimate role of libraries in our society and how can libraries make further progress or improvement in service delivery down the line? Kathy Knowles: I believe that libraries are community hubs, which bring people of all ages together to learn and interact with each other and the broader world.  Libraries need to change with the times and according to their own communities. The library’s financial resources will partially dictate their restraints. For example, two of our libraries in the Greater Accra region have stages with auditoriums that foster daily performance opportunities for Ghana’s youth and offer spaces for community events and workshops. This requires skilled personnel and funding along with the capital resources at the time of construction. One of our libraries has WIFI, a wonderful service that comes with a cost. Fortunately this has been generously donated. Muna Kalati: Finally, what vision do you have for the future of libraries in Africa? Kathy Knowles: My vision is that libraries across the African continent will nurture children’s thirst for knowledge and create opportunities to foster their self-esteem and talents. Although I cannot speak beyond Ghana’s borders, from my experience, community libraries will only flourish if governments at all levels recognize their important roles.

By Godwin Okondo AS most African governments increasingly shirk their responsibility to adequately provide broad-based education for their citizens, certain individuals are stepping in to fill the gap with organizations that are focused on literacy. And so across the continent are a number of non-governmental organizations that are actively taking the gospel of literacy and writing to the disadvantaged communities that statistics hardly capture. Last Saturday, September 25, 2021, The Muna Kalati Talks Series 7 based in Ghana brought together three administrators of such organizations t share their experiences in managing literary and literacy programmes. The focus was on how to sustain literary organisations across Africa so they serve the purpose for which they are set up. Three literary administrators were on the panel to discuss how they are sustaining their various literary initiatives in environments that desperately need the sort of interventions they provide but are grossly lacking in ability t fund and sustain what they do. The programme had as theme ‘Business Models of Literary Ventures: How to Sustain a Book Initiative Overtime’. The CEO of Muna Kalati, Mr. Christian Elongue, moderated the programme, and took the three panelists through on a journey of shared experiences in the field of literary administration. Among the speakers were Nigerian Secretary General of Pan-African Writers Association (PAWA), Dr. Wale Okediran, Ghanaian Co-founder of Golden Baobab that also organizes the Golden Baobab Prize for children’s writing, Mrs. Deborah Ahenkorah, and Ugandan CEO of Literature Beyond Borders, Carol Seera. The panelists spoke about their attraction to literary arts and programming, starting a literary organization to promote literacy and writing in Africa, and how they have been able to raise funds to sustain their various organizations and activities. Seera spoke about her motivation for starting Literature Beyond Borders, noting, “Our organization improved underserved governments’ schools in Uganda. We thought of what could help bring them up to speed with their reading levels. We wanted to include everyone in a particular class. We brought teachers with various experiences from various schools to share different ways of improving literacy. We started with a team of 12, writing stories about themselves and their experiences. “Local funding is rare and extremely competitive. I started this award in the university. Growing up, I loved reading children’s books and I wanted to contribute. Books didn’t have pictures of black people, so I decided to create awards to encourage the writing of African stories for children.” Speaking on sustainability, Okediran who founded Ebedi International Writers Residency, Iseyin, Oyo State, Nigeria, said, “We currently run two projects: the employee and writers’ residency programmes. We are able to generate funds from advertising, and anyone who brings in an advert gets a percentage.  “We also want to partner with other NGO’s to share the burden. One NGO pays for tickets (that brings African writers from all over the world to Iseyin for the residency) while we take care of the writers. We loaned a building which we use for the residency programme. The products from this programme also act as ambassadors in other countries; they try to put in a good word for us. In Africa, for now, donors are always very essential.”   Also, on sustainability, Ahenkorah said, “Every organization needs a donor to get started, either self-donation or from someone else. People who run literary organizations have put in something to build the organization. Wherever the funding is coming from, one has to find a way to regenerate these funds, make investments in something from which you can get returns.   “Initiatives in the book industry are dying because a lot of people don’t implement their vision to full capabilities. Some of us are coming with passion, which sustains to a degree, and some just come into the initiative to make money. For us to have that sustainability, we need to change that mindset.”   Seera also spoke on how she has been able to sustain Literature Beyond Borders, saying, “Sustainability is a part of the conversation as a team. We get rolling with work to be able to reach out to opportunities; we reach out to potential organizations that will buy or use our work. We also partner with organizations, and schools have provided materials and teachers to help out with our work.”   Making recommendations on the best practices for anyone venturing into the field, Dr. Okediran said, “Proper planning and funding is good for survival. It is good to start small to reduce costs and staff. You wouldn’t want to employ three people for a job of one person. “Our residency is located in a rural area. We convinced the members of the community that the project was theirs, and they saw it that way. We devote three hours every week to mentor children in schools. Some things that should be paid for are given to us for free. We also enjoy the support of the government here in Ghana for PAWA.”   While speaking on support and donations from local organizations, Seera said, “We have tried online and crowdfunding, though it didn’t yield the best results. We also raised money to buy books on  GoFundMe  and we were successful. Passion alone won’t drive the organization to its full potential. We need to let communities know about our work, and if we are intentional about our work, we are likely to thrive.”   On organizational support, Ahenkorah said, “I don’t have any experience with this. No African is willing to pay a huge sum for a writing programme. The question on their mind would be how to make the funds back. I think that’s why some people rule that out sometimes. From my experience, the important thing is to focus on our strengths rather than constantly exploring new things we are not sure would work.”   Okediran also commented on organizational support, adding that “Each outfit has its own weaknesses. We have received requests from people who want to learn how to write and we want to create a writing school to see if we can get funding from that. In rural areas, they give foodstuffs instead of money.”   On the influence they as personal brands have on their work, Okediran said, “Sometimes background or expertise helps. For me, I had a lot of respect from junior writers. They assisted me with my organization and advised me. Some writers noticed that what I was doing was a literary thing and friends rallied round me and built a website free of charge. Some of these things are not as difficult as they look. Even though literary advocacy is difficult in Africa, but if you keep at it, you’ll make a breakthrough.”   “I guess it’s basically visibility for the organization. If your organization has built visibility online, it works; what you sell and what you stand for compel them, and that helps,” Ahenkorah said.   According to Seera, “It’s really how you present yourself. How do you make yourself busy on social media? I follow people who do the same work and comment on their posts, they recognize and follow me, too. Those who are interested in you and want to invest in you will find you online. Consistency about what you stand for online is very important.” Source: https://anotearthub.com/2021/09/28/literary-administrators-map-path-to-sustaining-book-initiatives-in-africa/

The month of October is dubbed, Breast Cancer Awareness month and since breast cancer can also affect young adults, Muna Kalati sought for an interview with Dr. Ruby Yayra Goka . Ruby Yayra Goka is a bestselling author of children’s and young adult literature. She also wrote Disfigured , a novel which provides clear and concise illumination about breast cancer. Her books have been among the top-three positions for The Burt Award for African Literature competition for seven consecutive years. Muna Kalati: Please tell us about yourself. Ruby Yayra Goka : Hi, my name is Ruby Yayra Goka. I am a dentist and a writer. I have a day job (dentistry) and I call writing my night job.  My working hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. so when I’m done with dentistry, the rest of the day/ evening is mine. I don’t have a fixed writing schedule, I just fit writing in when I can. Muna Kalati: What books did you like reading as a child? Were they African? Do you think they are also interesting and understandable for modern children? Ruby Yayra Goka : I read everything when I was growing up. My favourites were anything Enid Blyton, Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Sweet Valley, The Babysitters Club, Paula Danziger, Judy Blume, Tom Sawyerr and Huckleberry Finn, Hans Christian Andersen, Goosebumps, Flowers in the Attic, African Writers Series , The Pacesetters etc. I was the type who would have a storybook on my lap while lessons were going on. I did get in trouble for that. My first ever book with a black female character was the Jasmine Candle by Christine Botchwey and I totally loved the story. The descriptions of the food, Zenobia’s hair and skin, the weather, the environment, and even the way the characters spoke, were all things I could relate to. The story just seemed to come alive because I knew the setting and it was almost as if I knew people too. A universal story will appeal to children of any era because their themes friendship, family, love, belonging etc are timeless. Muna Kalati: What is the last book you read? What books are currently on your bedside table? Ruby Yayra Goka : I just finished The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave which I thoroughly enjoyed. I haven’t begun anything new yet.  Muna Kalati: In your opinion, what is the main task of children’s literature? Is it to entertain, teach, educate, enlighten, liberate, create role models…? Ruby Yayra Goka: I think all literature, not just children’s, can do all the above. It depends on what story the writer wants to tell. Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop has an iconic quote about books being mirrors and windows. I hope that my books are a mirror to children of African descent and a window to our culture and experiences to children and/or adults of other races. Muna Kalati: You write for children, young adults and adults. How different is writing for children from writing for adults? How are you able to switch between writing for children and for adults? Ruby Yayra Goka: The main difference for me is that with writing for children, you have a limited word count and should go straight to the main themes of the story. Anything that doesn’t add to the story is redundant. This applies to writing for adults too, but I think with adults you have a bit more leeway. Muna Kalati: Has there ever been a time when you have had to simultaneously write for both children and adults? What were the challenges you encountered? Ruby Yayra Goka : Yes, I have written for both adults and children at the same time. I didn’t have much of a challenge. I just focus on what is before me and tune everything else out. Depending on the deadlines, I might devote more time to one manuscript than the other. Muna Kalati: What is your source of motivation when it comes to writing for children? Ruby Yayra Goka: Ideas come from everywhere—snatches of overheard conversations, reading another book, news stories, dreams etc. Inspiration is all around us, you just have to open your eyes (and ears) and pay attention. Some of my books have been inspired by new places I’ve visited e.g. The Lost Royal Treasure (Tarkwa), Perfectly Imperfect (Sogakofe), others by snatches of conversations I’ve overheard, The Haunted House , and two by news items, Plain Yellow and The Step-monster . With The Gift of Fafa , I wanted to tell a story about disability and about a child who didn’t fit in with her peers.    Muna Kalati: How and when did you decide to venture into the writing field? Ruby Yayra Goka: I think it was a natural progression from reading books to writing books. I loved stories and books so much that I thought I’d give writing a try. I began writing before I even started dentistry. When I was at medical school, I worked on the student newsletter and then I became the Editor-in-Chief. I published a number of articles and stories through that platform. So, I’ve always done writing in some form. Muna Kalati: What inspires you most about children's literature? Ruby Yayra Goka: I love how imaginative you can be with children’s books. I love that the main characters can be animals, trees or inanimate objects and how story settings can be anything from a shoe to an asteroid in outer space. Muna Kalati : And what has been some of the most inspiring moments in your writing career? Ruby Yayra Goka: The best moments were when two readers reached out to me to say one had become a medical doctor and the other a Physician Assistant after they had been inspired by one of my main characters Dr. Farouk Ben-Mahmood from my book In the Middle of Nowhere . Muna Kalati: The medical field is said to be a highly demanding and time consuming one. As a practicing dentist; how are you able to streamline writing and your medical career? Ruby Yayra Goka: Lots of people work multiple jobs now. Dentistry is my day job. It doesn’t suffer because I write during my free time. There are bankers/ pharmacists/ nurses etc. who are also parents/ caterers/ make-up artists/ event planners etc. So many people now have more than one job. I think the oddity would be finding a person with a single job. I’d love to ask what they do with all their free time. I think it also helps that I don’t have a fixed writing schedule (this is what works for me. Different styles work for different authors). I spend more time mulling over the storyline, characters etc. as I go about my daily activities. I write when a section of the story falls into place or when it becomes clear to me what’s supposed to be happening. When I’m really into the story I hear characters having conversations in my mind. That makes it even easier. All I have to do is write down what’s going on.  I used to always have a book and a pen with me to jot down ideas. Now it’s even easier. I make notes on my phone when something catches my attention. Muna Kalati: Your books have been nominated for, and won various literary prizes over the years, how has those achievements impacted your literary journey? Did winning the first award increase the popularity and visibility of your work? Ruby Yayra Goka: My first published book, The Mystery of the Haunted House , placed third in the Burt Awards. It was definitely easier getting a publisher for my next books afterwards. The awards serve as a validation that I am doing something right. That gives me the motivation to continue writing. Muna Kalati: Have you had any moment(s) or encounters with your readers which strengthened your resolve to keep writing for children and young adults? Ruby Yayra Goka: I meet a new reader on social media almost every week. Most reach out to say how much they enjoyed the books, how a particular story helped them deal with something they were going through, and how the books have inspired them to become writers too. Muna Kalati:   Can you recount the steps you took in getting your first book published? Was it difficult getting a publisher to accept your work? Did you face any rejections prior to publishing your first children’s or young adult book? Ruby Yayra Goka : In 2010, there was a call for manuscripts for The Burt Award for African Literature competition. The Mystery of the Haunted House placed third in the competition and became my first published book. This opened doors for me in the Ghanaian publishing world. The competition ran for seven years, and I was fortunate enough to have a book place in the top three, each year that the competition ran. Muna Kalati: How many children’s books have you published to date? Could you name them? Would you like Muna Kalati to review some of your children’s books for publication on our website and on our social media platforms? Ruby Yayra Goka: Books for children and young adults The Mystery of the Haunted House (2010) The Lost Royal Treasure (2011) When the Shackles Fall (2012) Those Who Wait (2012) Perfectly Imperfect (2013) A Gift for Fafa (2013) Plain Yellow (2014) The Step-Monster (2015) Tani’s Wish (2016) To Kiss a Girl (2018) Mama’s Amazing Cover Cloth (2018) Whatever it Takes (2019) Trotro Trio:  Blast to the Past (2020) Girl on Fire (2020) My ABC Book of Special Words (2021) Even When Your Voice Shakes (2022) Muna Kalati: What advice would you give to young people interested in becoming published writers? Ruby Yayra Goka: Read, read, read. It’s important to know what books children enjoy and read those. That gives you a fair idea of what gets a child interested in the book. Thank you.

Interview with Armelle Touko, by Hermann Labou for Muna Kalati. Armelle Touko, 36, is the CEO of Adinkra Editions, a start-up specialising in the digital publishing of African children's books, which she co-founded with Marie Gabrielle, her 12-year-old daughter. Aside from being a social and cultural entrepreneur, she is also the promoter of the ‘100 Little Writers Program’, writing workshops for children aged 6 to 14, and the ‘100 Little Readers Program for the promotion of reading inearly childhood. She graduated from ESSTIC (École supérieure des Sciences et Techniques de l'Information et de la Communication), where she was the valedictorian of her class. She has 17 years of professional experience in publishing, organizational communication and behaviour change communication. For 6 years, she served as the Behavior Change Communication Coordinator for the Access to Reproductive Health Services Program implemented in the Great North and East of Cameroon, until July 2020. Amongher accomplishments, In October 2019, together with a group of young authors , they created the Collective Adinkra Women, whose main objectives are to bring together women of African origin around issues with which they identify, through literary, social, cultural and artistic projects; to pool strengths, potentials and resources for the promotion and enhancement of free and assumed expression of African women residing anywhere in the world and create a lobbying/network of skills and mutual support. The first general assembly took place on January 25, 2020. A children's author, she has to her credit a dozen illustrated books published on the Andikra platform. Her first physical book, ‘ Le petit garçon qui pleurait tout le temps’ , will be available in bookstores on October 8, 2022. How was your first experience with books and reading? Books have always been a companion in my life. From my earliest childhood until today, I have always been a book fanatic. Whether it was the school books of my elders when I was not yet in school or my first experience with children's books, including my father's newspapers (Takala and Muyenga sur le trottoir; a Challenge Hebdo column that I particularly liked despite my young age). Being very solitary, the book was like a point of contact between an imaginary world and my reality. A perfect symbiosis of what is the happiness of discovery and dreaming. What were the first children's books you read? Were they African? Do you reminder any author from your childhood? What did these reading practices teach you as a child? The first children's book I read was the Martine collection, given to me by a young aunt who came from the city and whom I have lost sight of today (Martine petite Maman, Martine fait du vélo, Martine, petit rat de l'opéra, etc.); then, the tales from the ‘Coffret magique’, which I could read at the neighbour's house (Pinochio, Peau d'âne, Le petit soldat de plomb, etc.); then, Oui Oui ,   Les contes du chat perché avec Sophie et Marinette , which were always lying nonchalantly at my father's bedside, and whose wacky farm stories I read quite realistically but had nothing to do with our reality. I was only confronted with African children's literature with the books in the school program ‘ Mon livre unique de Français’ , from the collection la Cane et le coussinet , which threw out extracts of stories that marked our childhood.  What I learned from reading is that the world is large and the imagination has no limits; and that there is everything in books: love, values, dreams, differences, diversity, life. Can you give us an overview of your career? Why did you become interested in the world of children's books? Was it a choice or a twist of fate? Being a publisher was for me a conscious and well-considered choice, but above all, a meeting point of passion and commitment. When I graduated from ESSTIC in 2006 and entered the publishing world, I had the feeling that I did not belong in this world where everything was routine and the processes were always the same. I missed something; the field is not as exciting as my idealistic dreams. Everything is economic. In 2009, while I was in charge of publishing at a local publishing house, I decided to resign and change course completely, but with the intrinsic promise to come back later, this time with my own publishing house, which I did with ADINKRA in 2018, 10 years later. I chose the children's book because I think it is a neglected treasure. It's been a long time since we abandoned our children's education to providence.  The love for reading, self-love, is built right from the beginning, and it is there that we must put effort because the child of today is the adult of tomorrow. We are in what I call a cultural emergency. Our children grow up opening up to the outside world without really being anchored in it. The entertainment content they are exposed to presents them with 99% of the realities that are not theirs.  This can create psychological biases such as a lack of self-confidence, self-esteem and assertiveness. With Adinkra, we have chosen to offer our children inspiring and impactful books with African heroes and characters through which they can identify and represent themselves.  What challenges and obstacles were you confronted with? Was it easy to get published? Is it possible to make a living solely from this profession? There are many challenges along the way. It was necessary to lead writing workshops to find talented authors and to accompany them in their development because it is difficult to find authors who know how to write for children. The best and rarest ones are already being published elsewhere.  The financial challenge is not the least. We work on the publisher's account, which implies taking care of all costs related to the publishing of all our digital books, including the development and maintenance of the subscription platform. We do this as best as we can with our own funds, and sometimes we get help from our growing community. In addition, going digital comes with its challenges. The first one is the permanent education of the community in the use of digital products. This is a constant struggle, but a necessary one. The second is the appropriation of related technologies. Digital payment systems in Africa, for example, are still unstable. Regarding the question of profitability, we are doing the best we can. Adinkra is a young startup, still in its early stages and managing its own expenses as best as it can. How do you promote your books? How is your work received by the public? We haven't really started the promotion work yet. We are still setting up the payment methods on the platform. That is the reason we have stopped the commercial communications actions. Once the payment methods are stable, which we hope to achieve in one or two months, we will really start our promotional activities. We promise explosive and completely novel actions with our business model, which is very different from traditional publishing.  What is your relationship with the authors and illustrators of African children's books? Do you collaborate with Cameroonian children's book professionals? We work with about twenty authors and a dozen illustrators, mostly Cameroonian, but with a few other nationalities, such as Congo and Burkina Faso. We are gradually opening up to other African countries. We collaborate with all our energy, to the best of our ability. We believe that the supply of children's literature is so low compared to the demand that all local children's publishers should work together for better coverage.  Do you carry out actions for the promotion of children's literature in Cameroon or Africa at large? Feel free to describe them if necessary. Yes of course! The Adinkra project is a 360° project. If we produce content without promoting reading, who will read it? Upstream, there is the "100 Little Writers Program, which is an annual writing program for children aged 6 to 14 years with 3 cycles according to the age range of the learners. The 1st Edition was held in 2021-2022 with the illustrious author and illustrator Christian Kingue Epanya as a sponsor. Through this edition, we were able to take 95 children in Yaoundé and Douala through writing workshops, days of dialogue with the actors of the book trade, immersion days in bookstores and libraries. We have the ‘‘100 Little Readers Program’ which promotes reading and African books among children and parents. Through this program, we allow children to meet with the African book, through activities such as the ‘ Picnic du Petit lecteur, Les petits ateliers Adinkra, Noël en Contes’’, etc . We also used to do group book shopping to help parents find African books at affordable prices for their children. But we stopped this last activity, now that the Adinkra Jeunesse platform is available online. What impact has COVID had on your work? What steps have you taken to adapt? COVID has been an impetus. Not only because we had the brilliant idea of publishing and distributing a digital book titled 12 planches pour expliquer le Coronavirus aux enfants (12-plate to explain the Coronavirus to children) that went viral on the web, reinforcing Adinkra's reputation indeed. This book has been translated into eight languages at the request of the communities and countries concerned (Swahili, Bambara, Lingala, Mmmouock, Fufuldé, Sepedi, French, English, and Spanish) and has also been produced and distributed by the Ministry at a critical time. Regarding the adaptability of work, you can imagine that with illustrators and authors living all over the world, telecommuting was already part of our pre-pandemic management habits. In Cameroon, as in Africa, the children's book sector is little known by the general public and especially by parents. How do you explain this phenomenon? You are right. Even if our market research has allowed us to realize that parents are very interested in African children's literature, the fact remains that they do not know where to find it. Books are really everywhere, except in bookstores, because the ecosystem is not sufficiently regulated to ensure the satisfaction of all actors. The Ministry of Arts and Culture, publishers, booksellers, and other actors should work together to make books more available to their targets. Promotional work upstream must also be done in a concerted manner. What do you think about the general situation of books and reading in your country? In Africa? Do you have any proposals to make to improve its management? I think that everything remains to be done. We need a strong ecosystem that works together. But publishers are much too focused on school books because that's where the money is. Distribution remains problematic and extremely expensive; promotion is almost non-existent. To improve the ecosystem, we need to get together to find solutions. The idea of the constitution of trade clusters by MINAC and their implementation is already a good step forward. Alternative and forward-looking solutions such as digitalization must be encouraged and embraced. In Africa, children's literature is located on the periphery and is considered a marginal genre compared to classical literature. What do you think about this? I think that children's literature in Africa is still in its early stages; however, it is the future of publishing. It is a very promising market, of which publishers are not yet fully aware. But it will impose itself, given the ever-growing need among the target audience. What is your vision for the future of children's literature in your country? Children's literature is the future of publishing in Africa. The market is very big and very promising. We have to innovate and do things differently to be competitive in the local and international markets. How do you want to contribute to the Muna Kalati project? Muna Kalati is doing great work for children's literature. Congratulations on that!  We are totally open to proposals and willing to work together with this beautiful institution.  Any last word?   Investing in the African child means investing in the present and the future. What we are doing today is not only for our children but for our children's children. The road is long, and we need all our energy to achieve it. Thank you to Muna Kalati for being part of this positive energy of change. Thank you to all those who wish to join the movement.

Interview with Augustino AGBEMAVO, by Sarah Djos for Muna Kalati. Could you briefly introduce yourself (what you do, how did your journey in the book industry begin? Your role in the culture industry in Africa or in your country) I am Augustino AGBEMAVO, General Manager of BOOKCONEKT.COM. We sell and rent paper and digital books through our website. Since high school, I have always loved documentary research and I dreamed of having a personal library at home. The lack of a library in my community led me to turn this personal dream into a reality in service to the community. Today, we strive to be the pioneer in the digitalisation of book-related services with the innovation of bringing books closer to readers. Could you tell us more about your initiative (its objectives, target, and expected results)? BOOKCONEKT is a platform for the distribution and diffusion of paper and digital books. We provide four main services: a Mobile Bookstore, which is the purchase of paper books online with delivery at home, at the office and internationally with our partners DHL and the Post Office of Benin; a Mobile Library, which is a service of lending books to students in schools or at home through a quarterly subscription; the Digital Library is the loan of digital books through a subscription. More than 300,000 eBooks, including audiobooks, are available offline via a mobile application. These services are very rich in professional resources, leadership, financial education, and others. As for the book club, it is reserved for children aged 8 to 10, from third to fifth grade. These children meet once a month around a book with various fun activities to be carried out. The objective is to cultivate a reading culture by making books easily available to readers. Where did you get the idea to set up such an initiative? What was your inspiration? Why this initiative? What specific problems are you trying to solve? In my community, Abomey-Calavi, which has the largest number of students in Benin, there is no municipal library worthy of the name. So, in 2010, when I was 17 years old, I established a library in the school where I graduated. It was accessible to all students in the neighbourhood. We had 80 books at the beginning and carried out various activities with our own funds until 2015. The Foundation Zinsou, the French Institute, our sponsor, and various friends helped us reach 2000 books. But in 2015, faced with our inability to renew the book collection, students' books were becoming increasingly scarce. We decided to move the existing books to students far away from us so that they could benefit from them. Hence the idea of the Mobile Library . The objective is to bring the book closer to the reader to encourage reading. Mobility then became our added value because we realized that most bookstores are concentrated in the city centre and going there sometimes discourages users, especially when the book is out of stock and they have to go back and forth. So, we created BOOKCONEKT to bring the book to you wherever you are! In other words, we save students from having to go to the library all the time, and we save parents from having to waste time going to bookstores looking for books. How is it different from similar existing projects? What is its added value? BOOKCONEKT is a global project that brings together two essential links in the book chain in one place (distribution and diffusion/promotion). Then, all our services are digitalized, allowing everyone, wherever they are, to benefit from them. Few bookstores, especially in Benin, have digitalized their services. Also, most of the library initiatives that exist depend on external donations and inputs. We have succeeded in setting up an economic model that is supported by the beneficiaries and that allows us to meet our various expenses. Our bookstore allows parents to check the availability of a book in a bookstore, its price, order it and receive it at home. With BOOKCONEKT, it's the book wherever you are! What is the progress or achievements so far? (Please talk about your activities and programs.) The mobile library started with one school, in one city, in 2016 and today covers about 20 schools in 3 cities. From a motorcycle as a means of transportation in 2016, we acquired a tricycle in 2017. We have signed a partnership with DHL and the Benin Post Office to ensure distribution throughout the world. We have as partners Unicef and Canal+ who have sponsored the mobile library in schools. The bookstore has launched the Consumons Le livre Béninois en 2020 campaign, which aims to highlight Beninese literary productions. In terms of human resources, from a single HR in 2017, we are at 5 permanent jobs created. What are your current sources of funding? Could you be described as financially autonomous? How do you plan to strengthen the financial autonomy of your initiative in the coming years? We have raised funds through calls for projects and entrepreneurial competitions that we have won over the years. We are almost financially autonomous and we plan to strengthen this by increasing our sales. What are the main challenges or difficulties you face in the realization of your project? How do you overcome them? Although we are essentially digital, we are still confronted with the reluctance of the users, especially because of cybercrime, which has not stopped growing. We are working to increase our notoriety through customer feedback, by participating in national and international events, and by retaining our former customers. None of us is trained in business management, and therefore we find it difficult to make the right choices and the right investments at certain times. With our passion and determination, we turn challenges into opportunities. How has COVID-19 impacted your work? How have you adapted and what changes have you implemented? COVID has helped us expand our business better as digital has become the tool of choice for everyone. What support or backing would you need to increase the impact of your initiative and accelerate its development? First, it helps in managing the business and then raising funds for expansion. What will be the impact of this initiative on the promotion of books and culture? If you have a numerical impact, please share it. The impact is clear: 1000 students each year discover the joys of reading with our mobile library. About 30 children participate in the monthly children's book club and many others. What are your plans for the next 3 to 10 years? What do you plan to achieve that is big and memorable in your business? It is to expand our activities in the sub-region.  For more information, contact Mr AGBEMAVO at this email address: augustinoagbemavo@gmail.com You can visit the BOOKCONEKT website by clicking this link: https://bookconekt.com Follow BOOKCONEKT on social platforms! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BOOKCONEKT/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bookconekt/?hl=fr LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bookconekt/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzULUwwD5pqi0GIGuUsKIOA Twitter : https://twitter.com/BOOKCONEKT

Muna Kalati : Please tell us about yourself.  Could you give us an overview of your career? Why did you become interested in the world of children's books? Is it a choice or a stroke of fate? Nahida Esmail: I completed my high school in Dar es Salam and then went on to complete my higher education in the UK . I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. Being adventurous by nature I then decided to learn how to fly in the hope that I would become a pilot. After getting my pilot's license, I returned to the UK to complete a Master’s degree in Child Development with a specialization in Early Childhood Education. Still searching for my path, I ended up in Egypt to study Arabic and Islamic Studies. While I was there, I met someone, got married and moved to South Africa. I started collecting books even before I became pregnant with my first daughter. I wanted my children to read good books from across the globe. I lived in South Africa at that time and when I returned fulltime to Tanzania , I was disappointed at the lack of good reading books. That is when I decided I would write material that my children could relate to. I am a mother to 3 girls (1 of them being my niece). I enjoy mountain climbing, and have climbed Mount Kilimanjaro twice, and have written two (2) young adult fictions centred on Mount Kilimanjaro. I have also climbed Mount Fuji, Mount Damavand, Mount Toubkal, made it to Mt. Everest base camp and ascended Machu Picchu. I hope to write more stories about mountain climbing. Muna Kalati: What were the first children's books you read? Were they African? Any childhood authors you remember? What did these reading practices teach you as a child? Nahida Esmail: I grew up reading and loving Enid Blyton ’s Brer Rabbit and fell in love with the Famous Five and the Secret Seven series. It was through her books that I began to read. African books, till I was much older, were not easily accessible. South African books were, however, available but it was difficult to relate to apartheid. I remember when I was about 16, we had an African reading week and it was the first time I read books from West Africa and loved the stories because I could relate to them. In the international baccalaureate program, at age 18 we read, The Gunny Sack written by M.G. Vassanji , a Kenyan writer living in Canada and I could very much relate to this story. It was probably the first fiction book that I had read written by a Kenyan.   Muna Kalati: You’re organizing a literary dinner party. Which three writers, dead or alive, would you invite and why? Nahida Esmail: JK Rowling – I would like to know where she really got her ideas from – did she dream any of them? Are there any other powers she has that we don’t know about? Shakespeare – to find out what possessed him to write in riddles and why he couldn’t use easier English. His works made our life as students difficult J. Khaled Hosseini – to teach me how to write. Muna Kalati : What is your favourite genre and what moves you most in a work of literature? Nahida Esmail: That’s a difficult question because I like different genres. I love The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho because it’s such a hopeful book where your dreams come true. I enjoy sci-fi, fantasy stories, historical fiction, memoirs, children’s literature, young adult fiction, biographies. As you can see, I like different genres and it depends on my mood what I want to read. Sometimes it depends on what story I am writing as this will prompt me to read a certain kind of genre. Muna Kalati : How many children's books have you published to date? Could you name them?  Would you like Muna Kalati to make some analysis or review on these books? Nahida Esmail: I would love for Muna Kalati to make some analysis or review my books. I have about 30 books published which range from children’s picture books to textbooks. Some are available for free online.  Here are some of my titles for picture books and young adult fiction: Bahiya the Little Zebra (Brittle Paper List of Children’s books by African Writers 2021) Mr. Zebra goes to the Market Toby the giraffe The Lunch Box Gida the baby Elephant Rina the grey Rhinoceros Foxy Joxy plays a trick (free online) I am Bakari Young Adult Fiction: Zamda’s Kilimanjaro Journal (free online on World reader app) The Detectives of Shangani – The Mystery of the Lost Rubies Living in the Shade Living in the Shade: Aiming for the Summit (1 prize for Burt Award) Karafu a Freed Slave Lessilie the city Maasai Muna Kalati: How do you promote your books? What is the reception of your work with the public?  Nahida Esmail: My publishers do much of my promoting, and I try to promote on my social media pages or talk about my books when I get invited to places to give a talk. My books are not very well known to the public. Reason could be because the focus of students is on books that are part of their syllabus and my books are not part of the school curriculum. However, I have come across a thesis written on my books or my books mentioned in some works. This means that my books have reached audiences I didn’t know they had. I was pleasantly surprised when I came across a thesis that was written by Moikan Senyititled ‘Social values in young adults’ novels: A study of selected works by Nahida Esmail .’ Muna Kalati: You are the recipient of several Burt Literary Awards. How did you feel when you were shortlisted and declared the winner? How has the awards you received helped in promoting your books and providing greater visibility for your work? Nahida Esmail: My first story ‘ Living in the Shade’ was written within a month as I only found out about the award then. So, when I was shortlisted, my first reaction was shock! Then came the realisation that I could contribute to the literature scene in Tanzania . The Burt award has been the biggest catalyst in giving me recognition as a writer as the award was across a few countries in Africa: Ghana , Ethiopia and Kenya . This meant that the winners of the Burt award were also mentioned in those countries. The way the Burt award worked was that it printed 5000 copies of the winning titles and distributed 3000 to local schools and left 2000 for the publisher to sell. So, my titles were distributed to schools around Tanzania . The question is whether the books were read or just sat on the shelf collecting dust as it was not part of the curriculum. Muna Kalati : What are the difficulties and obstacles you have faced? Has access to publishers been easy? Is it possible to make a living only from this profession? Nahida Esmail: There are many obstacles to writing in Tanzania , one of them is that it’s not easy to get published. In general, publishers will look for books that will bring them a profit and fiction stories, if they are not considered part of the curriculum, do not do well in the market. Therefore, they would not be interested in publishing it. It’s not possible to make a living only from writing! Well, at least not yet! Money from royalties is peanut money. There could be many reasons for that and one of them could be that we don’t have enough interest in local writers. I write for many reasons: I feel I can give back to society through my story telling because stories live on for generations. I write because I want to make a difference. I write because I find it therapeutic. I write because our children need to hear stories they can relate to. Muna Kalati: What do you think of the general situation of books and reading in your country? In Africa? Do you have any proposals to improve its management? Nahida Esmail: Since last year things have been happening on the literary scene in Tanzania . So, we can say that post-COVID-19 the country has woken up and realised that reading is the way to get into a literate society and a literate society will bring about great advancements. The father of the nation, Mwalimu Nyerere , was an avid reader as well as a writer and the government introduced a writing competition this year to promote Swahili literature. The Tanzania International Book Fair is coming up this year and the 2021 Nobel prize winner, Abdulrazak Gurnah has Tanzanian heritage. So, things are definitely moving the right way. There are writers’ conferences happening across Africa. African Writers’ Awards are gaining momentum. I am a judge for the Wakini Kuria Children’s Literature Prize and we get entries from all over Africa. Muna Kalati: What is your vision for the future of children's literature in your country? Nahida Esmail: Africa has a rich storytelling culture and I hope that a lot of those stories will be captured in writing by the children of Africa. We still have high levels of poverty and illiteracy which we hope will be removed with better quality of education. The goal is to first increase readership and get the children to love reading and then the future of children’s literature will be very promising. Muna Kalati: What informed your decision to become a life-long sponsor of the African   Teen Writers Award? Nahida Esmail: I have a 15-year-old and I would like to see her write one day. You get back what you give to the world. I hope this will encourage lots of African teens to write and literacy rates soar. We have so many untold stories and unheard voices on the continent and I hope this will get more pens writing. Muna Kalati : What advise will you give to young people who wish to explore their talents and express themselves through writing? Nahida Esmail: I think determination is the bottom line. Many natural writers don’t believe in themselves and have a great fear of failure. A writer has to grow thick skin because people out there can throw negative comments. If you take it personally you will stop writing forever. Muna Kalati: Any last words? Nahida Esmail: Let’s all play a part, even if its small steps, towards creating a better reading culture in Africa. The reading culture will create good leaders and we can lead the world.