There are multiple frustrations in distributing books in Africa. Importing books from Europe or North America can result in long delays and tedious administration. For African authors there can be great hurdles in getting their books into print.
Well aware of these problems, CLC Kenya is taking steps to overcome these difficulties.
Print on Demand technology is changing the way books are published and printed. CLC Kenya has obtained Print on Demand equipment that enables the printing of a single book. This short cuts the importing of books from distant publishers, and gives African authors the ability to publish their own works. Print on Demand enables a single copy to be printed although, of course, more copies make the costs more affordable.
At the recent Nairobi International Book Fair CLC introduced the new concept of the CLC Kenya Authors Collaboration. The intention is to create a community of like-minded independent authors where those authors get to enjoy mutual support, share advice, receive training – all with a view to reaching more readers. African voices for Africa!
A great supporter of literature in Africa has been Oasis International. Recently they published the magnificent Africa Study Bible – a study Bible with notes written by Africans for Africans. The COO of Oasis International, Jeremy Johnson, has been a great advocate for the wider distribution of Christian books across Africa, and has been a great encouragement to our work in Kenya. In this video he argues for the contextualisation of issues for Africa, and for the quality of the books that need to be produced.
CLC Kenya is looking to seek all means to raise the bar of Christian publishing in Africa, in order that the Gospel is clearly presented in a relevant way.