Ekiuwa Aire started Our Ancestories with an aim to educate and share the rich African history with the next generation. Here she talks to Onside Media about her growth story and how she is planning to share stories of African legends while publishing children’s books and merchandise.
How and when did you start this business? Please share your growth story.
I started business 4-5 years ago when I noticed that there is little to no literature for kids on African history and culture. I believe that African History is a big part of the world’s story and yet the African narrative is often incomplete or wrongly presented. Africa’s story is one of great civilizations, legends, and cultures.
Because of this, Our Ancestories was born. Our Ancestories is a publishing company that is focused on creating books and accompanying educational resources on African History and Culture – for kids.
Tell us the products and services you offer.
We have 2 picture books
- Idia of the Benin Kingdom
- Njinga of Ndongo and Matamba
Each of these books come with accompanying:
- Workbooks
- Lesson Plans
- Teacher Guides
We also offer authors visits.
What were the initial difficulties you faced?
Publishing books is an uphill task, doing it during a pandemic is even more challenging. COVID limited my options for marketing. This is because at the launch of both of my books, in-person events were out of the question for me.
Also, due to COVID, manufacturing costs have gone up as turbulent supply chains conditions have greatly increased the cost of raw materials such as paper.
How did you maneuver your business during 2020-2021? Kindly list a few learnings.
I have built an online presence using social media and I am able to move product on my website using e-commerce solutions.
How did you hear about Visa Canada’s She’s Next Grant Program?
I found out about Visa Canada’s She’s Next Grant Program on Google while I was looking for funding options to help grow my business.
Kindly tell us about your plans for 2022.
In 2022, the plan is to publish more titles as well as to increase visibility on existing titles.
Any words of wisdom for young entrepreneurs?
Being an entrepreneur is a lot of work, but when things get challenging, try to remember why you started. This will give you the fuel you need to keep going.
For more info kindly visit:
Instagram: @our_ancestories
Facebook: @our.ancestoriess
Twitter: @ancestories
Website: www.our-ancestories.com
This Story is authored by Yugbodh, Onside Media, Toronto, Canada. If you have stories to share kindly email: – info@theonside.com
