As a mother, Khumo Tapfumaneyi noticed the scarcity of children’s books that celebrated black pride. After engaging with other moms, she soon discovered that it was a shared struggle. “We found that in mainstream bookstores, there weren’t many books in our languages or that featured characters of colour,” she says. So, the group of five decided to take children’s literature into their own hands and affirm children through diverse reading material.
The result was the online bookstore Ethnikids. The founders wanted to gain access to stories that represent experiences which are relatable to black youth. They uncovered that a great deal of African literature was inaccessible as local authors were self-publishing and independently selling their work. What began as a side hustle by collecting these books and shipping them to subscribers morphed into an ambitious business venture. Today, Ethnikids hosts a collection of children’s literature written by local and international authors in all 11 South African languages.
Exposing children to books written in their mother tongue not only improves their engagement in reading and education, but builds their self-esteem. “It’s important that we preserve our languages, and that our languages remain current and visible in written format,” Tapfumaneyi says. Ethnikids provides an abundance of literature that teaches children that their language, hair, and brown skin is also worthy of making it onto the printed pages of the stories they grow up with.
The value of children’s literature is immeasurable in the growth and development of a child. To be able to integrate literary texts in their own contexts is the building block for cognitive development, as children are encouraged to shape their own views and opinions. “Reading is so liberating, especially if children see themselves in the stories that they read,” Tapfumaneyi says. This has the power to manifest self-assured adults, leaders, and game changers.
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