Esther KuforjiEsther Kuforiji is the founder of The Jeli, a startup building a platform for millennials in Africa and the african Diaspora who are passionate about storytelling. The Jeli is a community of readers and writers, and Esther is both. In addition, lawyer, software developer and entrepreneur are her alternate identities.

ACADEMICS, AUTHORS & STORYTELLERS

Frances Mensah-WilliamsFrances Mensah Williams was born in Ghana and as a child lived in the USA and Austria before moving to London. Following her successful non-fiction books Everyday Heroes – Learning

from the Careers of Successful Black

Professionals and I Want to Work in Africa:

How to Move Your Career to the World’s

Most Exciting Continent, Frances’s first novel From Pasta to Pigfoot was published in 2015 and the sequel From

Pasta to Pigfoot: Second Helpings in 2016. A busy entrepreneur and Career Coach, Frances is CEO of Interims for Development Ltd. and Managing Editor of online careers and business portal, ReConnectAfrica.com.

ACADEMICS, AUTHORS & STORYTELLERS

Dr. Kwadwo Osei-Nyame Jnr.Kwadwo Osei-Nyame, Jnr (PhD, University of Oxford) teaches African Literature(s), Language(s), Cultural and Diaspora studies at SOAS, University of London. His interests include pan – Africanism, modernity and gender in literary and cultural studies. He is interested in using teaching and in particular literature, music and film as a transformative practice in the classroom and in the wider community within the broad context of African historical self-rehabilitation.

Kinsi AbdullehKinsi Abdulleh is a visual artist, editor, producer and educator. She is the founder of NUMBI Arts and editor of literary arts magazine SCARF. Her work as an artist both visual and performative focuses on social justice, histories and women’s voices .. www.numbi.org

Mara MenziesMara Menzies is a Kenyan Scottish theatrical storyteller and storymaker, author of 3 childrens books and founder of Afrika presents, a company dedicated to celebrating the diversity of African cultures through interactive, educational play. Her dynamic, physical style captures the imagination of any audience and she has graced stages and led workshops at festivals across the world – Kenya, Singapore, Jamaica, Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates and across the UK to name a few. She is passionate about using the power of story to challenge perception and provide insight into worlds that are both strange and familiar.

Leye AdenleLeye Adenle is a Nigerian writer. He has written a number of short stories and flash fiction pieces. Leye has appeared on stage in London in plays including Ola Rotimi’s Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again. He comes from a family of writers, the most famous of whom was his grandfather, Oba Adeleye Adenle I, a former king of Oshogbo in South West Nigeria. He lives in London.

ACADEMICS, AUTHORS & STORYTELLERS

Sumayya LeeSumayya Lee was born and raised in Durban, South Africa. Her debut, The Story of Maha (Kwela, 2007) was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best First Book – Africa and Longlisted for the Sunday Times Fiction Award. It is currently on the Undergraduate Curriculum at the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal. Her second novel, Maha, Ever After was published by Kwela in 2009. She has since mentored for Writivism 2014/5, edited the Anthology of Longlisted writers and this year, will serve as a judge for Writivism 2016.

ACADEMICS, AUTHORS & STORYTELLERS

Daisy Elisabeth BurtDaisy Burt is a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist and has just completed her penultimate year of Music at SOAS. For a number of years, Daisy has worked in the performing arts alongside work in the social-care sector. Mediums such as music and theatre have been instrumental to her work with teenagers and young adults as well as to her own development as a performer.Having learned from Kadialy Kouyate since her arrival at SOAS, Daisy's current Mande repertoire has been learned solely by ear without any form of notation. The West African kora and its oral histories have become the centre-point to Daisy's education in the principals of ethnomusicology, as well as acting as the foundation for newer collaborations.

KORA PLAYER

Good Cake DayGood Cake Day was set up as a blog in 2015 to document the cake decorating journey of self-taught baker and founder Chinelo Awa. At Good Cake Day we believe that everyday is a good day for good cake and have worked hard to perfect mouth watering classics from light and fluffy vanilla sponge cakes to oh so mouth watering red velvet cakes. Innovative cake decoration is our mission and buttercream is our preferred medium. We’re particularly proud of our Ankara range and can’t wait for you to try out our Ankara cupcakes at Words that Travel!

MaminaCome and try traditional Habesha Eritrean food straight from Mamina’s kitchen; homemade, fresh and vibrant tastes suitable for all whether vegan or meat-eater. There will be an array of dishes that you can select from whether it is our mixed vegetables fried and seasoned Alicha, to our special spicy meat stew Tebhi or its vegetarian equivalent Duba, served on a pancake like bread Injera. As a further treat, indulge in fresh Eritrean coffee Boon, freshly roasted, grinded and brewed to satisfaction. Equally we will be serving special tea Shahi, which will be infused with herbs and spices.

AFRICAN FOOD COURT

AFRICAN FOOD COURT

Waakye LeafWaakye Leaf is a boutique independent catering company specialising in pan-African and afro fusion cuisine. Established in 2009 we have steadily gained a positive reputation for great tasting food and our creativity in remixing and reimagining traditional staples of African cuisine. Our menus are inspired by our childhood in West Africa and Europe – we use original recipes passed down through the generations and with modern influences from our travels and experiences. We focus on combining the freshest natural vegetables, spices and vibrant flavours from Africa to produce great tasting food that transcends the continent.

Africa book CentreAfrica Book Centre Ltd. has been a specialist seller of books from and about Africa since 1989. Recently relocated to Oxford, Africa Book Centre offers a unique range of publications by mail order of interest to all concerned with Africa worldwide. Books, music and related items are available on all topics, for all ages, and concerning all parts of the African continent. To register for a quarterly catalogue of new titles, newsletters and other information please log in to our website or email orders@africabookcentre.com.

Books of AfricaBooks of Africa was founded in 2008 by Emmanuel Winlowa Mah with back up from Nigel Watt as Editor, and Pauline Dodgson-Katiyo, Dieudonné Gnammankou and Sydney Kotto as Directors. The idea really started in France where Dieudonné has established a successful publishing house, Editions Dagan. Thus many of our publications result from this French connection: e.g. the comic books on Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto’o are translated from the French. BoA is interested in all aspects of writing from (and about) Africa and the diaspora. We have published history, notably the work of Runoko Rashidi; fiction; poetry; and we are introducing children’s books in 2016 including work by the prize-winning storyteller, KamaSYWOR Kamanda.

PUBLISHERS MARKET

Jacaranda BooksJacaranda Books is a fresh and exciting independent publishing house based in London. We publish adult fiction and non-fiction across racial, gender and cultural boundaries, with a particular interest in works related to Africa, the Caribbean, and African America. Through our publishing we directly address the ongoing lack of diversity in the industry, from boardroom to bookshelf. At the heart of our publishing strategy is a love of outstanding, thought-provoking work. We believe that a wealth of unheard, under-represented voices exist globally and it is our mission to create the space for those voices to be discovered by new readers.

Numbi ArtsNurturing local and global conversations collaboratively creating platforms to celebrate diverse African voices producing workshops, events and SCARF literary arts magazine and Numbispace. An ongoing research project investigating contemporary arts practice from pre-civil war Somalia to the present day Diaspora. www.numbi.org @numbiarts

PUBLISHERS MARKET

Cassava RepublicAfter nearly ten years in Nigeria, Cassava Republic Press - one of Africa’s leading publishers, has launched in the UK. Our aim is to change how people think about African writing. We focus on bringing finely crafted, absorbing and nuanced narratives of every day stories to a wider audience. Launching Cassava Republic Press in the UK is an opportunity to introduce the diversity of writings coming out of Africa as well as the diaspora. Cassava Republic Press publishes a range of fiction including Literary Fiction and Crime as well as children’s fiction, non-fiction and romance under the imprint Ankara Press.

Digitalback Books At Digitalback books, we believe access to books reflecting one’s heritage and experience should NOT be considered a luxury, they are a necessity. DBB is a virtual library offering over 400+ titles of deliciously diverse eBooks from across Africa and the Caribbean. Choose from a number of subscription options and start reading any title instantly on your mobile device!

PUBLISHERS MARKET

Redearth EducationRedearth Education is a registered charity providing professional development for teachers in rural Uganda. As well as constructing a training centre with a model nursery school, Redearth runs among other programmes, an early grade reading programme. The lack of appropriate books for children to read, particularly when they are in the transition to being taught in English in Primary 4 provided the impetus to asking Verna to visit and to write a children’s book which would be relevant and enjoyable and could also be used in the teaching of reading. “A Very Busy Day” is set in rural Uganda. It tells the story of two children’s adventure

PUBLISHERS MARKET

on their first day of the school holidays. Jovia and Eric’s adventure begins when they’re woken up by loud cries for help and a herd of bleating goats scampering along the dusty road. Join them as they travel past lush sugarcane fields and through bustling market towns to reach the sugar factory.

AFRICAN FOOD COURT MENUS

Waakye LeafWest African stewed chicken with peppers

"Lamb Nkatse Nkwan (aka Groundnut soup)”: Lamb chunks slowly cooked in a flavoursome chilli and peanut butter sauce

“Red Red”: black eyed beans stew (V)

AccompanimentsFried ripe plantains

Mini rice balls

Jollof rice

Roti

MaminaTebhi- Lamb or beef diced pieces in spicy stew

Alicha [V]: Mixed vegetables fried and seasoned

Fassulia [V]: Runner beans and finely diced carrots

Timtimo [V]: Red lentils stew

Hamli mis Dinish [V]: Spinach with potatoes

Ruz [V]: Rice with vegetables

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Boon: Freshly roasted, grinned and brewed coffee

Shahi: Tea infused with herbs and spices

Hembasha [V]: Cake

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Note: Meat is halal and [V] indicates vegan dish

Good Cake DayA variety of delicious scrumptious African print cakes and cupcakes available on the day!