ABOUT US
Meet Soma Natwe
What We Do
Soma Natwe Initiative, registered in April 2021, works to create meaningful opportunities that encourage children and young people to actively engage with reading. Through our programs, we aim to promote a strong culture of reading among young people in Rwanda.
Our initiatives focus on empowering and supporting book club participants by providing opportunities for them to explore diverse books, share ideas, and develop a lasting love for reading. Through consistent reading activities, we enable participants to engage in regular and independent reading of a variety of books and texts, helping them strengthen their reading, comprehension, and critical thinking skills.
We are committed to equipping young readers with resources, supportive spaces, and engaging activities that help them grow as confident and curious readers. Through supporting children and young people to read regularly and broadly, we hope to play a small part in fostering a knowledge-based generation. Reading opens doors to global avenues of knowledge that non-readers often cannot access. Understanding that no development is possible without knowledge, we work to support children and young people in accessing books, exploring ideas, and gaining the skills to navigate today’s world.
Message from the Founder
Welcome to Soma Natwe. I have loved working with children over the years, and I have been trained in early childhood education, using a holistic approach that nurtures children’s minds, bodies, emotions, and social skills, with reading as a central tool to help them develop curiosity, knowledge, and confidence.
I work as a whole-school librarian in an International School. While this role is separate from my work with Soma Natwe, the insights I have gained and continue to gain have inspired how I promote reading among children. This experience has exposed me to a wide range of books, strengthened my personal love of reading, and enriched my own reading habits.
For the past five years, our focus at Soma Natwe has been on developing our book club program to ensure more children fall in love with reading and enjoy a variety of books and genres. Going forward, we will expand our efforts to other programs, creating additional opportunities for children to engage with reading in fun and meaningful ways.
Working with children from culturally diverse backgrounds in an international education setting has been incredibly rewarding. It has broadened my understanding of children’s unique needs, yet my passion has always revolved around my love of books. I have always loved reading, and it saddens me that reading is not more widely cultivated in our communities and schools, a challenge that can impact children’s academic achievement and the range of possibilities available to them later in life.
I firmly believe that consistent reading stimulates imagination, critical thinking, and confidence. Engaging with diverse materials helps children gain knowledge, develop expertise, and become inspired lifelong learners. As a mother of three, I understand the challenges of balancing technology, rigorous school curricula, and test preparation. That is why it is essential to create screen-free pockets of time and strategies that stimulate children’s minds in unique and meaningful ways.
Our programs are designed to be fun, nurturing the habit of reading through simple, specific, and achievable goals that complement school demands.
I am grateful to be part of these efforts to promote a culture of reading in our communities and schools. Through this work, we hope to nurture a curious, informed, and knowledge-based generation.
Come read with us, we look forward to meeting you.
Yours Sincerely,Tekla Ngowe Kayitare