29 mei 2020 – Coronavirus children’s book also in Chichewa and Chishona

Op mei 27, 2020 - Nieuws

Our FREE African children's book, originally developed for children in Kenya and Tanzania is now, next to English, Kiswahili and Dutch, also available in Chichewa, local language in Malawi and Chishona, local language Zimbabwe.

FREE download
Scroll down to download the books. The size of the booklets are small so they can easily be share via WhatsApp, other social media applications or via email.

In co-production with
In co-production with Aisha & friends and Jan & Ko | creative in education.

Short history
Marijke Acket, director of Imba International reached out to our chairman Monique. Marijke and Monique know each other because Imba International is one of the signatories of the Dutch NGO pledge #EveryChildAFamily.

Marijke had the request if it was possible to translate our African children's book 'Aisha and Moses strong against coronavirus!' in Chichewa (local language in Malawi) and Chishona (local language in Zimbabwe). Imba International supports projects in both Malawi and Zimbabwe. With a Chichewa and Chishona version, Imba international wants to inform also children in Malawi and Zimbabwe in a child-friendly way about coronavirus.

Monique discussed the idea within the development team and all were very excited about it. After we got the funds together we started the process. Marijke found translators and Mieke Linssen, the illustrator, made some changes in the drawings, so they fit more the cultural setting of Malawi and Zimbabwe.

Why did we develop this booklet?
While our chairman Monique was in lockdown and quarantine in Kenya from March 14 until May 16, she saw and heard from various contacts, that there was a lack of informative child-friendly books about coronavirus in which children in Tanzania and Kenya could recognise themselves.
She decided that she wanted to make this available and she reached out to Els van Hemert and Mieke Linssen, of ‘Jan & Ko | creative in education’, who helped to create a Dutch children’s book about coronavirus. Monique asked them if they would be willing to develop such a book for African children. They responded very exited.

Els and Mieke said immediately yes. Els immediately started writing and Mieke started drawing. Everything in close consultation with our Monique together with local partners in Kenya and Tanzania, Because we did not want just to make a translation of the Dutch booklet, but we wanted to create an adapted story in which children in Kenya and Tanzania could identify.

We were supported by Alberdine van de Hulsbeek of 'Aisha and Friends' and Walter Mgina, a Tanzanian living in the Netherlands, who took care of the translation in Kiswahili. And after three weeks, this booklet is the result of a great collaboration at a great distance. ” Els: "We hope that our booklet will help parents and / or carers in Africa to inform the children about corona in a child-friendly and attractive way."They brought in Alberdine van den Hulsbeek from 'Aisha & Friends' and the rest is history.

How do you educate young children about the corona-crisis? The virus has changed our lives in a drastic and radical way, additionally there is a lot of uncertainty. It is a very tensive and indistinct moment in our lives, especially for children.
The booklet informs children about what a virus is, what to do against it and it gives words to feelings of insecurity that children may have. It is exciting, sometimes a bit sad, but above all solution-oriented. The guidelines are discussed in an understandable way and offer a view of better times.

This book is based on the Dutch book ‘Het verhaal van Noor en het coronavirus’, developed by Monique Kerpen, in collaboration with ‘Hoera kindercentra’ and ‘Jan & Ko | creative in education’.