Poets Connect Kigali brings book lovers together for an evening of words and culture

Elias Hakizimana Aug 17, 2025Aug 17, 2025 0 Comments

By Elias Hakizimana.

KIGALI, Rwanda – The warm glow of the Arise Bookshop lit up on Friday evening, August 15, 2025, as poets, readers, and publishers gathered for the inaugural Poets Connect Kigali, a literary networking event organized and hosted by Arise Education in partnership with Mvua Press, an imprint of eKitabu.

The evening’s highlight was the showcase of The Stained Gem, a newly published poetry collection that sparked heartfelt conversations on love, culture, and the power of words to connect people.

**Giramata Joy Sandrine, Bookshop Manager, speaking at the event.**

The gathering drew a diverse audience, from professional writers to casual readers, united by a shared love for books.

Vanessa, a teacher, described the evening as a deeply personal experience.

“Coming here to Arise Bookshop was amazing for me,” she said. “The book touched me deeply—especially the poems about love. I’m someone who really likes to fall in love, and this book taught me how I can handle love better. Poetry can give advice and stir emotions, which can be very powerful in education.”

**Vanessa, a teacher (left, in red and black), with the author during the Poets Connect Kigali evening, holding a copy of The Stained Gem**

For the organizers, the event served as more than a simple book launch.

Catherine Kukunda, representing eKitabu and Mvua Press, explained that Poets Connect Kigali was designed to build bridges between authors, publishers, and readers.

“We called it Poets Connect Kigali because we wanted to meet not just authors, but book lovers of all kinds,” she said. “We promote high-quality books by African authors—many of them women—and ensure accessibility in formats like braille, sign language, and audio. This is our first event of its kind in Rwanda, and we’re building networks we hope to grow through future gatherings.”

Mvua Press, operating under eKitabu’s umbrella, focuses on publishing African authors while making literature accessible and affordable. Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, eKitabu works in 14 African countries, with Mvua Press currently active in Kenya, Rwanda, and Malawi. The Kigali event was their first poetry-centered gathering in the country, aimed at fostering local literary networks.

***Catherine Kukunda of eKitabu and Mvua Press speaks at Poets Connect Kigali, highlighting the event’s goal of linking authors, publishers, and readers.***

Arise Education is part of Ubuntu Publishers and has been a partner of eKitabu for some time. Since its founding, both organizations have served as hubs for book lovers—young readers through programs like Wikendi na Tota, and older audiences through Book Talks and the Lit Teens Space.

Founder and Managing Director Gasana Mutesi of Arise Education said hosting the event aligned perfectly with their 13-year mission.

“For nearly 13 years, Arise has been promoting authors and books—local, African, and international,” she said. “Gatherings like this are important because they start with our culture and values. We need to make books part of our lives, the same way we budget for clothes or leisure. Let’s buy, love, and gift books.”

Gasana Mutesi, Founder and Managing Director of Arise Education, said the event reflects their 13-year mission of promoting authors and books.The evening blended poetry readings from The Stained Gem with lively discussions, moments of laughter, and meaningful networking. Participants included three authors, several publishers, and readers who left with new literary connections.

While this was the first Poets Connect Kigali, both Mvua Press and Arise Bookshop expressed optimism about making it a recurring fixture on Rwanda’s cultural calendar. Organizers hope it will grow into a community of writers and readers who support one another’s work and contribute to a thriving literary culture across the country.