Mutesi Gasana is a Rwandan author and entrepreneur. She is the founder of Ubuntu Publishers ltd and Arise Education Rwanda Ltd and has been authoring and publishing books for over 5 years.
Under Soma Innovation Challenge 2021, Kumwe Hub partnered with ubuntu publishers with the aim of improving the availability, distribution, access, and use of Kinyarwanda children’s books and reading materials in homes and communities.
Kumwe Hub’s Soma Innovation Challenge provided grants to rising private-sector innovators that offer reading and literacy solutions adapted for home, community, and school use. Ubuntu Publishers was one of the five winning businesses awarded with a small grant to improve their accessibility of Totafest Magazine to both print and digital.Among the top five social innovations, two were technology-based, two were children’s magazines, and one was a play-based learning approach.
Impact of the grant
Mutesi is one of the 3 Female headed businesses that Kumwe hub partnered with in this challenge winning 2nd place with a grant of $3,000. The support Kumwe Hub offer to social enterprises in Rwanda already places a greater emphasis on female headed businesses. The key criteria for selecting businesses in 2021 for Soma Innovation Challenge was having a female CEO & female majority team. 60% of businesses we have worked with so far meet one or both.
Totafest is an Ubuntu Publishers’ product embedded in publishing high-quality children’s literature that is captivating, informative, transformative, and filled with values, traditions, context-based, and culturally considerate for children. Mutesi launched Totafest’s first issue in December 2020 and published 30 stories in Kinyarwanda, English, and French. Ubuntu Publishers produce 5,000 copies per print currently available only in Kigali. Mountain gorillas inspire its brand to support bringing curiosity and create engagement in readers.
“With the grant, we digitalized Totafest Magazine and we were able to distribute more copies to children. When we competed in the Soma Innovation Challenge, our magazine’s cost 5,000 Rwf, however, we have since reduced the price from 5,00Rwf to 2,000Rwf to make it more affordable and accessible. We are now able to distribute it to wider and digital platforms. Both formats are for sale, but we plan for this magazine to be accessible for free at some stage.”Mutesi Gasana said.
Through Totafest Magazine, Ubuntu Publishers raises awareness with the aim of promoting the culture of writing among children. More children are expressing their interest for writing for Totafest Magazine and competing for story placement. As a result, the best stories are published in the magazine.
“We received a lot of stories from different children who applied for writing to Totafest. All the stories are amazing and they found the platform to express themselves and write. This is the product of their contribution. To us, Soma Innovation Challenge through Kumwe has played a very big role is making this happen.” – Said Mutese Gasana
Mutesi believes that the Rwandan publishing industry has grown since 2008 when she first started – where people did not understand what publishing was.
“We are planning to produce 10,000 Kinyarwanda copies during the second edition of Totafest. We will keep working with Kumwe Hub, not only on the side of the ground but also technical support to make this successful”- Added Mutesi Gasana.
Prior to 2019, there were few books published in Rwanda for readers 3-6 years old and even fewer titles depicting STEM, gender equality and disability inclusion. Mutesi has worked on more than 50 children’s books and has authored more than ten books, including eight which were approved by Rwanda Basic Education Board to be used in schools.
According to Mutesi Gasana, the initial reaction from readers has been positive. “We have received appreciation from our primary readers, especially parents with children aged 6-10 years who read our books”.
Soma Innovation Challenge
In July 2021, Kumwe Hub launched the soma innovation challenge open call to social enterprises looking to improve the reading and writing culture of Kinyarwanda children’s books in Rwanda.
The call received 24 innovative submissions. From some of the innovation ideas received, one was a hybrid (off/online) tool improving literacy among children by providing age-appropriate stories and tailored assessments. Another, created a platform for audio-visual and digital book distribution that children, teachers, and parents can use to enjoy the content shared by authors, publishers and producers. The final five business received grants ranging from $500 to $5,000 were selected by a panel of judges from Save the Children, the private sector and Rwanda Education Board on the grading criteria.
All the social enterprises Kumwe Hub works with have businesses or ideas which can bring tangible benefits for children. Through our ‘fund’ and ‘lab’ pillars we are able to help social enterprises with both the skills and funding they need to succeed.
