Our Story

In late 2017, my spouse and I made the challenging decision to relocate to the United States alongside our three-year-old daughter. This pivotal move entailed leaving behind the life we had crafted and cherished.

Upon settling in the United States, not a single day passed without our thoughts gravitating towards our homeland and the ongoing experiences it was undergoing. We contemplated how we could contribute to the community that had nurtured and educated us. The geographical distance posed formidable challenges, and we embarked on a quest to discover innovative avenues for engagement.

Out of this contemplation, the inception of our enterprise, ሌላ መንገድ, which translates to 'Another Way,' was conceived. We firmly thought that an alternative approach existed to fulfill our aspirations.

Our society grapples with a multitude of intricate challenges. Determining a particular issue to address was a daunting task. Ultimately, we decided that channeling our efforts towards inspiring, mentoring, and fostering positive change in the lives of children and youth within our community represented a noble endeavor. However, the specific means to effect change remained unclear.

A turning point emerged when my six-year-old daughter then and I returned from a public library, laden with books. It struck me suddenly that, during my own childhood, there was a marked scarcity of quality children's literature – in fact, a dearth of any children's books altogether. Our nation boasts a rich tapestry of history, culture, and stories, yet there is a conspicuous absence of children's books that encapsulate this wealth of knowledge and heritage. This void persists. My daughter now borrows 20 to 30 children’s books each week. In the United States, the '1000 Books Before Kindergarten’ program encourages children to reach that milestone before entering kindergarten. What a wonderful initiative. As I tried to recollect books from my own youth, I found the list to be dishearteningly short.

Conversely, children, especially those raised beyond the borders of Ethiopia, have limited means to acquaint themselves with our history, culture, and heroes. For instance, my daughter knew about the great Muhammad Ali but remained oblivious to the story of Abebe Bikila until the commencement of our project. While she was well-informed about the American Civil War, she didn’t know much about the Battle of Adwa.

Motivated by this revelation, we sought to engage with publishers, endeavoring to facilitate the translation of their children's books into Ethiopian languages, commencing with Amharic. Regrettably, our initial outreach met with unresponsiveness from the publishers. Our subsequent attempt to contact a free e-book publisher yielded no results.

We had to find another way, and we did.

In light of these challenges, we resolved to forge a new path, leading us to the establishment of our publishing company. Recognizing the manifold obstacles that lay ahead, we realized that this venture would provide the autonomy to address subjects of paramount significance to our community and ourselves.

We have made a steadfast commitment to ourselves. We will push the boundaries of our capabilities to release world-class children's books every quarter. These books will be accessible worldwide, ensuring that children across the globe can benefit from them.

Our inaugural children's picture book centers on the story of Abebe Bikila. We have selected him as our first subject because we believe that he epitomizes the spirit of ሌላ መንገድ. When the shoes he carried to Rome for the 1960 marathon became worn from training and subsequently gave him blisters, he charted an unconventional course to achieve his goals. He ran barefoot, emerged victorious, and set a world record. In these tumultuous times, we believe that his indomitable spirit is more pertinent than ever.

If our mission resonates with you, we extend a heartfelt invitation to join us in transforming this vision into a reality. You can support our cause by acquiring our books for your children or those you wish to inspire. Additionally, your feedback is invaluable, serving as a compass to guide our future endeavors. We eagerly anticipate your ideas and collaboration in serving our community together.

Thank you.

May 5, 2022

Alem Aweke

CEO

Lella Menged, LLC