Rwanda Rwandan illustrators of children’s books bring a new website to life
Over 30 illustrators of Kinyarwanda children’s story books were joined by other actors in children’s’ book sector on the 29th of August 2016 to officially launch their new website, www.rwandanillustrators.org. The website launch, which is part of the illustrators’ efforts to further enhance their contribution towards promoting literacy among children in Rwanda was held at Impact Hub, Kigali. Other actors in the children’s book publishing industry that were present included authors, designers and publishers of children’s books.
The launch of the website was an initiative to create a platform that will bring together all works of illustrators of children’s stories written in Kinyarwanda. The website will therefore be a strong tool to expose the illustrators’ work as well as encourage more Rwandans with talent to join the industry.
“Illustration is an amazing way of communication. Pictures or illustrations speak louder to children, so we find it as the best way of telling children’s stories. Children love them”. – Adolphe Banza, one of the illustrators of Kinyarwanda children’s story books.
He added that illustrators in Rwanda are getting better day by day. They contribute to more and better quality books for children, promote the local publishing industry, create children’s stories in a child-friendly version as well as enhance the culture of reading among children.
The illustrators’ website launch also featured the monthly Abana writers’ Café, an event that promotes authors of children’s books through storytelling and fetching feedback from fellow authors and publishers.
Since 2013, Save the Children through the Rwandan Children’s Book Initiative (RCBI) and later through the USAID-funded Mureke Dusome project has embarked on supporting the local authors, designers, illustrators, publishers and sellers of children’s Kinyarwanda story books in Rwanda. The two projects embark on producing more and quality children’s books in Rwanda, enhancing the culture of reading among children in Rwanda.
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