Rwanda: Local entrepreneur launches an audio book distribution platform amid #CoronaVirus

During this crisis, we have realized that we have a quite some content but with problem on how to distribute them. It is in this regard, we had all our story books adapted into audio version, and we have managed to create an online platform called “https://www.haapastore.com/ ” to be able to facilitate all our audience to access our content in their homes during this self-quarantine from #Covid19.

I happened to measure my studies in Modern Languages and Publishing. I am fascinated by languages and all aspects of languages. The original project idea “HAAPA (Hadithi za Africa Pamoja)”, was to have a platform that can help us collect African stories in local languages. But we saw there is potential in making it open for all. The https://www.haapastore.com/platform  allows third party content owners to be able to create own accounts, upload their own audio contents and be able to distribute to the world. No need to limit ourselves on languages in this #Covid19 crisis.

We believe haapastore.com platform can help not only audio books publishers/ producers but all players with contents in oral literature. That is songs, music, poems, audio dramas, podcasts, religious and enlightening audio preaching…Basically, anyone with audio content can be able to use this platform to register own accounts, upload own contents and share with their audience.

Haapastore.com allows audio content owners to sell or share for free their content if they want to. The platform is builtwith payment systemlike Mobile Money or PayPal for international payments. We believe content creators and publishers/ producers should be able to continue to make a living out of their content amid this self-quarantine from #Covid19.

For now,https://www.haapastore.com/ has up to 100 audio books/ stories in Kinyarwanda for people to enjoy at less than 200 Rwf (0.2$). The entrepreneur encourages other audio content owners/publishers/producers to take the opportunity use this infrastructure of haapastore.com and continue to connect to their audience.

Fiston Mudacumura is one of the entrepreneurs running a startup “Mudacumura Publishing House” that is being incubated at Kicukiro ICT Innovation Center for Audio visual, managed by IBS Rwanda under Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and KOICA partnership.