Survey on Children’s Readiness Preferences and Market Demands for Children’s Reading Materials in Rwanda

The purpose of this study was to gain a deep understanding of children's relationships with books in Kinyarwanda, understand which elements of books children enjoy and why, and which variables in their lives influence their emergent reading preferences. The study employed a desk review of existing literature to identify patterns around recreational reading, with a particular focus on the Rwandan and East African context. Primary data collection was conducted through Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with publishers in Kigali to identify publishing patterns in the local market, perceptions around children's reading preferences, existing gaps in the current children's book market, and potential areas for growth in relation to market demand. Qualitative research with children through FGDs, age-appropriate group activities, observation, and individual interviews explored children's preferred reading materials, including preferred genres, illustrations, and themes, as well as identification of language, gender, cultural, and socio-economic factors impacting readership preferences. Publishers participating in the FGDs noted that it is impossible to generalize about children's opinions since they have varied opinions brought about by their unique lives and situations. However, they agreed that reading in one's mother tongue has a special magic to it, particularly for young children, and they are committed to producing storybooks in Kinyarwanda. The participants also revealed a commonly held view of gender differences in books, suggesting that girls prefer realistic, moral stories, whereas boys love adventures and games. Findings from the FGDs, group activities, observations, and interviews with children aged 0-3, 4-6, and 7-9 years old showed that children have extremely broad interests and preferences. The youngest children (0-3 years old) were fascinated by illustrated objects they already know, while children in the 4-6 age range preferred books with much more illustrations and described stories by illustrations rather than words. Children in the 7-9 age range generally preferred books with illustrations and showed interest in fiction books, particularly in urban areas. General observations and trends from the study suggest that children are extremely forgiving about content, illustrations, and even stories themselves if the activity of reading is exciting, interesting, sociable, and fun. The study recommends that parental and teacher engagement, a belief in the importance of storytelling, and setting aside time to read to/with children are essential elements in developing a culture of reading. Save the Children Rwanda has used the findings of this study as an advocacy tool, promoting a dialogue on ways to improve children's access to a wide range of books. The study has also guided the selection of books to distribute in reading clubs, been used to develop content for publishers' training, and served as a tool for Mureke Dusome's Social Behavior Change Communication messaging. The study's findings have been shared with other stakeholders locally and internationally, and have been used as topics to discuss during Abana Writer's café.