Korea donates 1,000 Kiswahili-translated Folktale Books to Tanzanian children

DAR ES SALAAM: TANZANIAN children are set to journey into the rich world of Korean culture and traditional storytelling after the Republic of Korea donated 1,000 copies of Korean folktale books translated into Kiswahili to the Tanzania Institute of Education (TIE).

The donation is aimed at strengthening reading skills while giving young Tanzanians an opportunity to discover Korean stories in a language they understand best.

The handover ceremony, held in Dar es Salaam, marked another step in the growing educational and cultural partnership between Tanzania and Korea.

The books are expected to provide children with enjoyable reading materials while exposing them to Korean traditions, values and cultural heritage through engaging stories.

Speaking during the ceremony, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Tanzania,  Eunju Ahn, said the books would serve as a bridge between the two nations by bringing Korean stories closer to Tanzanian children. She emphasized that sharing stories across languages and cultures can help young people develop curiosity, appreciation and a deeper understanding of other societies.

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TIE Director General, Dr Aneth Komba, expressed appreciation for Korea’s continued support and assured that the donated books would be fairly distributed among schools and effectively utilized for the benefit of students. She also expressed interest in strengthening cooperation between TIE and Korea, particularly in initiatives aimed at improving educational opportunities for Tanzanian children.

The donation comes as part of a broader partnership between Korea and Tanzania in the education sector. Since 2021, Korea has worked with TIE through the Korea-Led ICT Cooperation (KLIC) Programme, supporting digital education through ICT equipment, capacity-building programmes for teachers and education officers, and knowledge-sharing on the development of digital learning content.

Ambassador Ahn reaffirmed Korea’s commitment to supporting Tanzania’s development, particularly through education, describing young people as one of the country’s most valuable assets for the future. With the donation, a simple book becomes more than a reading resource—it becomes a cultural bridge, connecting Tanzanian children with Korea through the universal power of stories.