Hello, my name is Ritah, and I am the co-founder of Yuniya. Our name, YUNIYA, is a tribute to my late grandmother—an extraordinary woman who embodied the qualities of a matriarch, an elder, and a captivating storyteller.

In August 2020, my son Malachi was keenly interested in learning more about Africa. African Mythology immediately captured his imagination, sparking a curiosity that grew each day. Determined to nurture his interest, I started assigning him daily tasks, which only fueled his thirst for knowledge.

Malachi's request to rewrite the stories he was learning sparked months of dedicated effort. Together, we reimagined tales of divine creatures, African mythology, history, and culture.

Now, we are delighted to share these stories with families like yours. Witnessing the joy they bring to your lives is genuinely fulfilling. We are thrilled to breathe new life into Africa's rich heritage, offering a fresh voice to the timeless stories passed down by our ancestors.

In 2020, East Africa experienced one of the worst floodings in recent memory as torrential rains unleashed chaos and devastation.

Communities were submerged, homes and livelihoods were washed away, and millions of people across multiple countries were profoundly affected.

During this time, Malachi, whose grandparents also suffered losses, suddenly realised that climate change was a topic that extended far beyond polar bears.

Realising his need to understand climate change's global impact, particularly on the global south, I attempted to create educational material. Unfortunately, it was not easy. Climate change is complex.

Several weeks later, Malachi approached me, saying he understood climate change. Surprised, I asked how he learned, and he mentioned, "The Ninki Nanka." The Ninki is an African mythological creature that lives by the Gambia River.

You might wonder how the Dragon taught Malachi about climate change and its effects.

In 2020, during lockdown, Malachi and I went on a research journey, rediscovering African mythological creatures and reimagining and retelling their stories in a fun, engaging, and bite-size format—easy to digest.

The Ninki Nanka is one of the creatures whose story we reimagined.

You are probably wondering how Malachi figured out climate change through this story. I will explain.

On the surface, it's a story of a dragon that lives by The Gambia River.

Because he enjoyed the story, he was motivated to learn more. And in wanting more, he was able to explore multiple things like:

How the Ninki Nankas home has mangrove trees that grow by the riverside, and mangrove trees are incredible at absorbing CO2.

Like the incredible species of nearly 600 birds and animals living by the Gambia River.

He was able to learn about the interconnectedness of all living things.

The story allowed him to explore complex concepts like history and the environment.

Ultimately, this allowed us to create a framework for understanding the complex concept of climate change. We are now sharing this and hope to inspire more individuals to learn.