Ndoto Kids launches Nyaya dze Vana, a new children’s book series in Shona and Ndebele

Ndoto Kids, an innovative edtech company creating children’s content in African languages, is thrilled to announce the launch of its latest initiative, Nyaya dze Vana (translated as “Children’s Heritage”).

Funded by the European Union through the Culture Fund’s CreativeACTIONS 2 programme, this landmark project aims to nurture cultural pride and early literacy among African children through the creation and distribution of beautifully illustrated books in chiShona and isiNdebele.

This initiative builds on Ndoto Kids’ earlier project, Nyaya dzeVana, which was supported by the Zimbabwe German Society through their Das Kollectiv initiative. That phase saw the creation of video book versions of these stories, which are now being transformed into beautifully printed hard copies under the EU’s CreativeACTIONS 2 programme via Culture Fund.

At its core, Nyaya dze Vana is about reconnecting young readers, particularly those in the African diaspora, with their roots, languages, and stories. Designed for children aged 0–7, the books are culturally relevant, visually engaging, and rooted in local contexts, making them a powerful tool for both education and identity formation.

Key Objectives of Nyaya dze Vana:

Promote indigenous African languages and cultural heritage.

Encourage and stimulate early childhood literacy and a love for reading.

Engage educators, parents, and institutions in using culturally resonant educational tools.

“We believe that every African child deserves to see themselves, their language, and their culture reflected in the stories they read. Nyaya dze Vana is our love letter to future generations, and a way to pass down our collective memory through play and imagination,” says Batsirai Freddy, Founder and Creative Director of Ndoto Kids.

 

With four books already developed in partnership with Ngoma Yorira, and a vibrant library of animated videos and nursery rhymes online, Ndoto Kids continues to build a rich multimedia ecosystem for early childhood development in African languages. This project further cements their position as trailblazers in culturally grounded edutainment.

The Nyaya dze Vana book launch is scheduled for July 2025 and will include community reading sessions, interactive storytelling experiences, and a one-off book drive to distribute copies to selected organisations. The broader goal is to raise awareness about children’s literature written in African languages. Thereafter, the books will be made available for purchase on Amazon and in selected local outlets, with full details shared on Ndoto Kids’ platforms..

ABOUT NDOTO KIDS

Founded in Zimbabwe, Ndoto Kids is a pan-African edtech brand offering animated content, original nursery songs, and storybooks in Shona, Ndebele, and Swahili. With a quirky and playful tone, the brand’s mission is to preserve African languages through joyful, high-quality children’s content.

For more information visit www.ndotokids.com or follow @NdotoKids on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

 

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