Kuna matata — Something here is broken, and I can't fix it without you

I'll be honest with you.

I built Swahili Children's Books because Swahili and Tanzania are woven deeply into my life, and I wanted the children growing up far from East Africa to still hear the language, laugh in it, and feel it belongs to them. I've poured evenings and weekends into it. Books, games, printables, a word game, a daily word. All of it made with love.

And most of you leave.

Eight out of ten people who visit this site look around for a moment and go. They don't come back. I know because I watch the numbers every week, and every week they say the same thing.

That stings a little. I won't pretend it doesn't.

Numbers tell me what happens. They can't tell me why.

Maybe the site is confusing. Maybe you came for something I don't have. Maybe the games aren't fun enough, or the books are hard to find, or there's simply too much going on. Maybe it's something I haven't even thought of.

I genuinely don't know. And guessing isn't getting me anywhere.

So I'm asking you directly.

If you've ever landed here, whether you stayed five seconds or five minutes, you know something I don't. You saw this site with fresh eyes. I can't do that anymore.

Tell me what's broken. Tell me what's missing. Tell me what you loved, too, so I know what to protect. Be as blunt as you like. I'd much rather hear “this didn't work for me” than keep building in the dark.

The form below takes about two minutes and comes straight to me. I read every single one, and I promise to share what I learn and what I change because of you.

Because I still believe in this. I believe children everywhere deserve to grow up laughing, reading and playing in Swahili. I just need your help getting it right.

Asante sana for reading this far. It means more than you know.

Baba Bata
(the human behind the books)