African languages hold our memory, identity, and worldview. They shape how children learn, imagine, and belong. As part of our mission to bring the SDGs into African classrooms, we have steadily worked to include Indigenous African language books in our reading lists.
This has not been fast work—SDG themes are very specific, and only a small number of children's books in African languages directly address these themes. Even so, we are proud to have curated four Honorary Books in:
Yoruba (SDG 1 - No Poverty)
Akan, Ghana (SDG 2 - Zero Hunger)
Sesotho, Lesotho (SDG 4 - Quality Education)
Igbo (SDG 6 - Clean Water & Sanitation)
We are also proud to have curated a sinificant number of SDG reading lists in Kiswahili and to showcase children's books in this mother tongue - one of Africa's 4 main languages.
Our mother tongue titles reflect our belief that Africa's children deserve to encounter the SDGs through the languages of their families and communities.
This Position Statement explains why this work matters.
It outlines how Indigenous-language books advance SDG 4 (quality education), SDG 10 (reduced inequalities), SDG 11 (living heritage), and support the African Union's Agenda 2063 commitment to a culturally confident and sovereign continent.
It also sets out the principles we believe should guide all future work involving African languages-especially as digital technologies and AI become central to learning and knowledge creation.
We offer this Statement as a clear, accessible reference for schools, librarians, educators, and partners committed to strengthening African languages for future generations.
