Ku nshuro ya mbere mu Rwanda hatanzwe ibihembo bya Women Books Award. Ibihembo bya Women Book Awards 2026 byahurije hamwe abanditsi, abamamaza ibitabo, abarimu n’abayobozi mu muco mu rwego rwo kwizihiza abagore ibikorwa byabo bikomeje kugira uruhare mu guteza imbere umuco w’ubwanditsi n’ugusoma mu Rwanda. Ibi birori byabaye mu kwezi kwahariwe abagore, byashimye abagore bo mu nzego zitandukanye zigize uruhererekane rw’ibitabo guhera ku banditsi n’abamamaza ibitabo kugeza ku baharanira gusoma mu baturage bigaragaza uruhare ibikorwa byabo bifite mu kuvuga inkuru, uburezi no kubungabunga umuco.
Mu gihe cyose cy’ibi birori, abatanze ibiganiro bagarutse ku byo abantu ku giti cyabo bagezeho, ariko banagaruka ku nshingano z’abanditsi n’abamamaza ibitabo zo kurera no guteza imbere isura y’ubwanditsi bw’u Rwanda. Mu bavuze amagambo yakoze ku mitima y’abari aho harimo umwanditsi watsindiye ibihembo Mukagasana Yolande, wakoresheje ijambo rye agaragaza akamaro k’urubyiruko mu kubaka ejo hazaza h’ubwanditsi. Yashimye umubare w’urubyiruko rw’abanditsi rwagaragaye muri ibi bihembo, anabashishikariza gukomeza kwandika bashize amanga.
Mukagasana yanagaragaje akamaro k’ururimi mu kuvuga inkuru, asaba abanditsi gukoresha indimi z’iwabo cyane cyane Ikinyarwanda. Yagize ati: “Urubyiruko ni ingenzi cyane muri ibi bihembo. Kandi ndabashishikariza kwandika mu Kinyarwanda, kuko Ikinyarwanda ari twe. Niba ururimi rwacu rupfuye, natwe turapfa.” Aya magambo ye yatumye abari aho batekereza ku ruhare ururimi rufite mu kubungabunga umwirondoro n’umuco. Kuri we, ubuvanganzo bwanditse mu ndimi z’iwabo bufite uruhare rukomeye mu gutuma inkuru ziguma zishingiye ku buzima nyakuri bw’abaturage.
Intego y’ibi bihembo bya Women Book Awards yanashimangiwe n’umuyobozi wabiteguye, Gasana Mutesi, wagarutse ku buhamya bwe bwo mu ntangiriro mu bijyanye n’inganda z’ibitabo. Yibukije ko ibitabo byinshi yasomaga icyo gihe byagaragazaga imico n’inkuru bitari bihuye n’ibyo yabagamo. Yavuze ko ibi byamubereye impamvu nyamukuru yo gushyigikira ibikorwa bigamije guteza imbere inkuru z’iwacu.
Gasana yashishikarije abagore bandika kwakira no kwandika bishingiye ku muco n’ubuzima bwabo. Yagize ati: “Natangiye gusoma, ibitabo byinshi byari bikikije byavugaga inkuru z’imico itari iyanjye. Ariko inkuru zacu zifite agaciro, kandi abagore bafite uruhare rwihariye mu kuzivuga.” Yibukije abari aho ko abagore ari bo batangira kubwira abana inkuru. Uhereye ku nkuru zo kuryama kugeza ku biganiro bya buri munsi, ababyeyi b’abagore n’abarerera abana bagira uruhare mu kubaka ibitekerezo by’abana. Kubera iyo mpamvu, yabashishikarije kwandika inkuru zigaragaza imiryango yabo, imigenzo n’indangagaciro.
Ibi birori byanizihije kandi ibikorwa byagezweho mu bijyanye no gutangaza ibitabo. Judence Kayitesi yahawe igihembo mu cyiciro cy’ubuyobozi mu gutangaza ibitabo abikesha inzu ye y’itumanaho ry’ibitabo, Inzozi Publishers. Nubwo atari mu Rwanda igihe ibi birori byabaga, ubutumwa bwe bwo gushimira bwashyikirijwe abari aho. Yagaragaje ko iki gihembo kigaragaza ubushake bw’inzu ayobora mu gushyigikira abanditsi no guteza imbere ubuvanganzo. Yanagaragaje akamaro ko gushima abamamaza ibitabo bakorera inyuma y’amarido kugira ngo inkuru zigere ku basomyi.
Women Book Awards yanagaragaje impano nshya mu bwanditsi. Lise Nova Berwadushime, wahawe igihembo cy’impano igaragaza ejo hazaza (Emerging Talent Award), yatanze ubuhamya bwimbitse ku rugendo rwe nk’umwanditsi. Yasobanuye ko akenshi ahakura imbaraga mu bibazo yahuye na byo n’ubuzima bumwigisha byinshi. Kuri we, kwandika byabaye uburyo bwo guhindura ibigeragezo mo ubutumwa bufite igisobanuro.
Yagize ati: “Imbaraga zo kwandika nzikura mu bibazo nanyuzemo. Nasanze niba kwandika byafasha umuntu kumva atekanye, kumwihanganisha cyangwa kumufasha kumva yumva yumvikanye, nshaka kubikoresha neza bishoboka.” Aya magambo ye yakoze ku mitima y’abari aho, agaragaza imbaraga ubuvanganzo bufite zo gukiza, gutera imbaraga no gutanga icyizere.
Undi muntu ukiri muto wagaragajwe muri ibi bihembo ni Denise Umuhusa, wahawe igihembo cy’umwanditsi ukiri muto (Young Author Award) kubera uruhare rwe mu guteza imbere gusoma no kuvuga inkuru z’abana. Binyuze mu kwandika no mu ruhare rwe mu mushinga wa Agati Community Library, Umuhusa yakomeje guteza imbere umuco wo gusoma mu bana. Ibitabo bye byibanda ku nkuru zibafasha kumva neza ubuzima bwabo bwa buri munsi.
Ibikorwa bye byashimiwe kubera uruhare bigira mu guhindura neza urwego rw’ibitabo by’abana, bitanga inkuru zitera amatsiko, ibitekerezo n’ubumenyi. Mu guhuza ubwanditsi n’ibikorwa byo mu muryango, Umuhusa ahagarariye igisekuru gishya cy’abanditsi babona ubuvanganzo atari nk’ubuhanzi gusa, ahubwo nk’igikoresho cyo kuzana impinduka mu muryango.
Ibikorwa byo guteza imbere gusoma bishingiye ku baturage na byo byashimiwe muri ibi birori.
Betsy Dickey, washinze umushinga Ready for Reading, yahawe igihembo cy’impinduka mu muryango (Community Change Award) kubera ibikorwa bye bishya bya Reading Riders, umushinga ugamije kugeza ibitabo ku baturage aho kubibura. Binyuze muri uwo mushinga, ibitabo bijyanwa mu duce tudafite ibikoresho byo gusoma bihagije, bigaha abana n’imiryango amahirwe yo gusoma.
Ibikorwa bye byakorewe i Rwinkwavu byagaragaje uko ibisubizo bishya bishobora kwagura uburyo bwo kubona ibitabo no guteza imbere umuco wo gusoma mu baturage badafite ayo mahirwe. Mu kwegera ibitabo abasomyi, imishinga nk’iyi ifasha kugabanya icyuho kiri hagati y’ubuvanganzo n’abaturage batabasha kubona ibitabo byoroshye.
Mu gusoza ibi birori, Women Book Awards 2026 byibukije ko ubuvanganzo bukomeza kubaho bitewe n’uruhare rw’abantu benshi; abanditsi, abamamaza ibitabo, abarimu n’abaharanira inyungu z’abaturage. Buri wese wahawe igihembo ahagarariye igice cy’uru rwego, ariko bose bahuriye ku ntego yo guteza imbere inkuru no gusoma.
Uretse kwizihiza ibikorwa byagezweho, ibi birori byatanze ubutumwa bwagutse: ko ejo hazaza h’ubwanditsi mu Rwanda hazaterwa inkunga no guteza imbere inkuru z’iwacu, gushyigikira impano nshya no gukomeza kugeza ibitabo ku basomyi bose. Mu guha agaciro ibikorwa by’abagore mu rwego rw’ibitabo, Women Book Awards ntizizihiza gusa ubuhanga, ahubwo zinatera imbaraga igisekuru kizaza cy’abavuginkuru kizakomeza gusigasira izi nkuru.
