McDonald’s South Africa and the National Library are distributing more than 400,000 children’s books, expanding reading access for schools, ECD centres and communities nationwide.
The partnership with the National Library of South Africa (NLSA) will place books directly into the hands of children while strengthening reading resources available at Early Childhood Development centres.
The national programme gets underway during Literacy Month, with its launch at Loding Primary School in Mpumalanga. The NLSA will coordinate distribution to ten identified ECD centres in Loding, Vaalbank and surrounding communities.
Every participating child will receive a book to take home, while participating ECD centres will receive an equivalent number of books to build their own reading resources.
The programme extends beyond book distribution, incorporating reading sessions, storytelling, literacy activities and opportunities for children to experience library services.
As part of the Mpumalanga programme, the Mpumalanga Library Service mobile library will visit Trying Angels Educare in Vaalbank, allowing children to explore a mobile library and engage with books in a dedicated reading environment.
The initiative responds to persistent challenges around childhood literacy and access to age-appropriate reading material in South Africa.
Results from the 2021 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study showed that approximately eight in ten South African Grade 4 learners could not read for meaning, highlighting the scale of the country’s literacy challenge.
By expanding access to books at home and within ECD centres, the partnership aims to strengthen early exposure to reading and encourage children to develop a lasting relationship with books.
Dr Ralph Links, Chief Executive Officer of the National Library of South Africa, said partnerships that improve access to reading materials can contribute to addressing the challenge.
“This generous contribution represents an important investment in South Africa’s children and comes at a time when literacy remains a significant national challenge,” said Links.
“The National Library of South Africa is pleased to partner with McDonald’s South Africa in ensuring that these books reach children and ECD centres where they can make a meaningful difference.”
The initiative builds on McDonald’s South Africa’s existing literacy activities. Since 2019, the company has offered children’s books as an alternative to toys with Happy Meals, giving families the option of selecting reading material for their children.
Millicent Maroga, Impact Director at McDonald’s South Africa, said improving access to books can help children discover reading from an early age.
“Our mission is to ensure all children, no matter their background, can access the joy of reading,” said Maroga.
“This September, together with the National Library of South Africa, we will do our best to ensure as many children as possible have access to books in their schools and communities to spark a lifelong love of reading.”
The more than 400,000 donated books will include titles covering some of South Africa’s official languages, helping make reading material more relevant and accessible to children from different linguistic backgrounds.
Access to books can support more than academic development. Regular reading can help children strengthen language skills, confidence and imagination while establishing habits that support continued learning.
“The ongoing literacy crisis in South Africa requires that organisations who care about the future of this country contribute towards encouraging a love and culture of reading,” Maroga added.
Through the partnership, McDonald’s South Africa and the NLSA will continue distributing the donated books to children and ECD centres, extending access to reading resources across communities where they are needed.
