Kunda Kids Celebrates UK Black History Month With The Launch Of ‘A is For Africa’

 

…working with PwC UK, Africa Centre, and the Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers.

Kunda Kids, an award-winning children's publishing and media studio, recently announced the launch of a new book titled 'A is for Africa' in celebration of UK Black History Month. The book is set to reconnect young Africans in the diaspora to their roots. It reestablishes Kunda Kids' commitment to inspiring the next generation to learn about and celebrate African history and culture through fun and engaging books, songs, and animations.

 

Unlike traditional alphabet books that follow normalized teachings, A is for Africa transcends the norm by infusing the African Culture into the text. The strategically developed book not only teaches varying elements of African culture in an easily understandable format with creative illustrations but also showcases Africa's kaleidoscopic history with snippets of compelling historical and cultural knowledge.

 

Co-founder of Kunda Kids, Mrs Louisa Olafuyi, expressed the inspiration behind the book and why it was an important project for the company. She stated: "A is for Africa is a very special book for Kunda Kids, African children and families in the diaspora, and the general public who have misrepresented understandings of the complex continent of Africa. Throughout the years, the stories we saw of Africa were not being told by Africans but by others who had little comprehension of who we are as a people and what our stories were. 

 

A is for Africa was developed to challenge the misguided representation of Africa, which has proved disadvantageous for Africans in the diaspora looking to reclaim their identity and reconnect to their roots. The book aims to bring up a new generation of Africans with a fuller understanding of their history and culture in the ways and the voices it was meant to be told." She concluded.

 

After discovering that only 5% of children's books published in the U.K. featured a black main character, Kunda Kids was established in 2020 with the mission to positively disrupt children's content by improving the diversity and representation of African culture and history in children's literature, animations, and learning material. 

 

Fellow Co-founder Mr Oladele Olafuyi underscored the mission of the company and its anticipated impact. He said, "Many of the ingrained prejudices and unfavourable perceptions of Africa that exist in society are greatly influenced by how it is portrayed in the media and literature. This is especially important when we examine early children's education books that define the foundation of any child's life, value, and beliefs. By providing easy-to-read illustrations of Africa's history and culture, we are one step further in transforming our beloved continent's reputation." 

 

In addition to the launch of 'A is For Africa' this October, in honour of UK Black History Month, Kunda Kids is working with various organisations including PwC UK, The African Centre, and the Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers to empower children and educate the global community on Africa in interactive and unconventional methods. These partnerships will include hosting various free-to-attend sessions and confidence workshops across the U.K.

Kunda Kids, along with PwC UK, will be facilitating a confidence-building workshop on the 22nd of October 2022, focusing on key themes from their beloved books 'Shaka Zulu Learns to Dance' and 'Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti'. The event at the PwC UK office in London will feature special guests D.J. Zel, Avya Couloute, and Dr Jason Apaloo-Shonibare. 

Kunda Kids has partnered with the Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers (AFBE-UK) and the African Centre to host a Kids STEM Day event on the 29th of October 2022 with their books 'Malik's Bridge' and 'Sameera Moussa' in focus. 

 

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About Kunda Kids

Kunda Kids is an award-winning children's publishing and media studio based in London. They are one of the leading providers of diverse children's edutainment to parents, schools and libraries worldwide.

Kunda Kids was founded in 2020 during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic by parents and husband and wife, Oladele and Louisa Olafuyi. The word 'Kunda' means 'Love' in Uganda.

Kunda Kids created the popular children's book series Africa's Little Kings & Queens, a collection of beautifully illustrated picture books inspired by ancient Africa's great leaders. In 2021, the studio won the Channels Book Club Heroes of the Year Award and celebrated the release of The Kunda Kids App. Today, Kunda Kids is a diverse team of 20+ writers, artists, developers and experts across the UK, Nigeria, Ghana and Uganda.