Every Queen Deserves a Crown – A Children’s Book by Anne Kiwia
“I would like the little ones to discover Dar es Salaam and its beauty. They should join Joy on her journey of culture, traditions and society, and it should challenge their perception in their own choices to discover their queens”
Anne Kiwia
Book Launch Interview Summary
The talented and amazing Anne Kiwia is making a difference in the lives of ordinary Tanzanian women through her headband-making business. Beautiful inside and out, kind, compassionate, and always looking out for the wellbeing of others, the Romanian-born Fashion and Graphics Designer has worked hard to change the lives of women in her father’s home country, Tanzania, by empowering them through her business, and by helping them to realise and appreciate their worth.
Through her new project, a children’s book titled ‘Every Queen Deserves a Crown’, Anne is continuing her quest to make every good woman realise that she is indeed a queen. Anne took time to briefly discuss the new book which will be launched very soon at a date, time and place to be announced in Dar es Salaam.
Driven by compassion for the same womanhood that she experienced while growing up in a household led by women, Anne says writing the book was never part of her plans, but in the most vulnerable season of her life, her heart was compelled to write the book in admiration of the strong women she grew up around. “It wasn’t a matter of choice but rather a sudden change in circumstances that made them bread-winners overnight. Today I reflect on my past and I can see why I relate so much with the women around me in Tanzania, and that is why I chose to have the book set in Tanzania”, she says.
Pushed on by a hunger to define good leadership, Anne reflected on the highest titles of leadership; how they always look brave and glamorous, but in reality they have to defend their positions and show strength all the time in everything that they’re doing. Eventually, it dawned on Anne that the ordinary ‘sheroes’ (female heroes) like women from her team and surroundings, her own mother, both her maternal and paternal grandmothers, and of course Joy’s mother in the book, are the real queens and leaders who need to be celebrated every day and looked up to by children like Joy.
According to the author, there are many lessons to be drawn from the story of Joy’s mother in the book, with the main one being that women should not feel isolated and alone. Anne says she likes to touch women‘s hearts by letting them know that they are not alone and to comfort them. “They should feel safe, loved and appreciated through the story.
For children, the author says they also have something to learn from Joy, the main character. “I would like the little ones to discover Dar es Salaam and its beauty. They should join Joy on her journey of culture, traditions and society, and it should challenge their perception in their own choices to discover their queens”, says Anne.
Interviewed by
Gugu Mpofu
