A Journey of Entrepreneurship, Education, and Social Justice

As a student, Deborah Ahenkorah ’10 volunteered with organizations that donated books to children, and in 2016, she founded her own publishing company, African Bureau Stories. Originally from Ghana, Ahenkorah credits her time at Bryn Mawr as the foundation for her professional journey.  

THE BEGINNING OF A PURPOSEFUL PATH

“When I was a sophomore at Bryn Mawr, I got involved with a woman in the Main Line area who wanted to build a library in Ghana,” says Deborah Ahenkorah ’10. “Having grown up on donated books, I was passionate about the cause and started organizing book drives on campus.” 

What began as a personal initiative soon transformed into a student-led organization that shipped books to several countries. But Ahenkorah quickly noticed a gap: most of the donated books featured predominantly white characters. “I started to question what a more balanced approach could look like,” she says. “That was  when the idea of publishing African stories for children was born.”

FACING CHALLENGES IN PUBLISHING

In the years since founding her publishing company, Ahenkorah has faced numerous challenges in making high-quality, African-centered children’s literature accessible.

“Getting our books into the African market has been tougher than anticipated,” she says. “The market is used to donated books or lower-quality options at much lower prices. Introducing high-quality, subsidized books required us to create entire systems from scratch—distribution, marketing, and more.”

Despite the hurdles, Ahenkorah remains steadfast in her mission. Currently, she is a fellow at McGill University, studying library science and exploring partnerships with North American libraries to distribute her books globally. 

“We hope that success in markets here can help subsidize our work back home,” she says.

LESSONS FOR ASPIRING ENTREPRENEURS

Reflecting on her journey, Ahenkorah shares a pivotal lesson she learned early on.

“When I launched my first project, a literature prize, I faced a roadblock that could have ended everything,” she says. “A mentor’s advice—to extend the deadline instead of giving up—taught me that obstacles don’t have to define the end of a journey.”

This resilience remains central to her philosophy: “Women, especially, must remember that we define what failure is. Temporary setbacks are just part of the journey.”

LOOKING AHEAD

As Ahenkorah looks to the future, she remains focused on expanding the reach of African stories and making it clear that everyone’s story matters.

“Our books are now available on Amazon, making them accessible globally,” she says. “We’re working on scaling our titles and exploring collaborations to amplify the impact of our work."

"Representation in children’s books is not a frivolous issue—it’s essential. Mutual respect and understanding of  each other’s truths are what we need more than ever in today’s world.”