Dominique Uwase Alonga, CEO of Imagine We, didn’t intend to lead a publishing platform. “I think I fell into the work I was doing and it just morphed into other things,” she says, referring to her earlier venture, a reading initiative for kids. In this role, she realized that there was a lack of available reading materials for the children she was working with and set up a program for people from around the world to donate books. But many of the titles donated didn’t feature characters or plots that felt relevant to Rwandan youth. In response, Dominique established Imagine We, a publishing house that focuses on creating books that reflect Rwandan life. Its titles include stories that address the nation’s history of conflict in an age-appropriate way and educational texts that use local references, such as The ABCs of Rwanda. Its aim is to change reading culture among children and youth in Rwanda and to give a voice to young authors.

“It’s really always evolving,” Dominique says, explaining that Imagine We has grown by listening to its consumers and adapting its focus to better meet their needs. The company accelerated its planned shift to digital-first content by launching an app during the country’s COVID-19 lockdown. It currently publishes twelve print books a year, but the app enables Imagine We to extend its offerings and gauge the popularity of a story before committing it to print. 

Imagine We is a self-funded organization. It has received various grants, including $2,000 from Social Impact Incubator Rwanda and $20,000 from the Tigo Digital Changemakers initiative.

Main Photo by: Joel Gisagara