About KOLI & OLUM
KOLI & OLUM began with two sisters-in-law and new mothers who shared a simple but powerful goal: to pass our culture, language, and traditional stories down to our children.
Like many parents in the African diaspora, we were looking for resources that felt intentional, beautiful, and rooted in authenticity — especially for early learners. We quickly realized that African languages and stories were deeply underrepresented, particularly in the diaspora.
So we started small.
With one language.
With one set of books.
What we didn’t expect was how many other families were searching for the same thing.
Parents from across the diaspora began asking for resources in their languages too — and KOLI & OLUM grew beyond its original scope. Today, we are home to the largest collection of African language board books, featuring over 40 languages and counting, alongside African folktale picture books and culturally inspired activity books.
Our Mission Today
KOLI & OLUM is now led by me, Ada Ari, and our focus is early childhood education that helps children build a strong sense of cultural identity from the very beginning.
We believe children deserve books that reflect who they are, where they come from, and the stories that shaped generations before them. And we believe that for us, by us should never mean cutting corners.
Quality matters.
Representation matters.
And intention matters.
Built With Purpose
We work with a growing global team of illustrators, translators, editors, and collaborators — many of whom are based across Africa. Through this work, we’re able to create meaningful opportunities and jobs for women and creatives back home, while ensuring the stories and languages we share are shaped by those closest to them.
Giving back is part of our foundation. Through our parent company, Ada Ari Books, 10% of proceeds are donated to orphanages across Africa, extending our impact beyond the page.
Why It Matters
These books exist so children can hear familiar words.
So parents can pass culture on with confidence.
And so African languages and stories continue to live — not just in memory, but in everyday life.
One book at a time.