The digital age has its advantages, but when it comes to young minds, a lack of reading can become a social problem that gets worse every day.
Mitsubishi Motors South Africa sponsors JOE lil’brary, a campaign that brings the joy of reading to children who might not have access to reading material.
The Mitsubishi Motors Annual Charity Golf Day at the Silverlakes Golf Club in Pretoria East will be held on Thursday 3 December in support for JOE lil’brary, a rather unique but extremely clever concept to help children read books rather than stare at screens.
“JOE lil’brary is a rather unique but extremely clever concept to help children read books rather than stare at screens, and Mitsubishi Motors South Africa jumped at the opportunity to support this fantastic cause,” says Nic Campbell, General Manager of Mitsubishi Motors South Africa.
The JOE lil’brary is literally that – a little library in a box – and MMSA Golf Day participants, spectators and other visitors can donate used books on the day or drop it off at any of Mitsubishi Motors’ 41 dealerships across South Africa.
Containing a collection of books depending on the size of the lil’brary, sponsorships cost around R3 419. The miniature library is aimed at crèches, preschools, primary schools, and even universities.
The concept is simple – donate books you have read and are just gathering dust or set up your own lil’brary at your own premises.
It does not cost someone who wants to set it up at their crèche or school or anywhere else, a single cent to have a lil’brary installed.
“That is thanks to generous partners and donors like Mitsubishi Motors South Africa, who love the idea of the lil’brary that JOE lil’brary is able to make this possible. This movement is fuelled by generous citizens who believe in the importance of getting South Africans back into reading in a digital age,” says Campbell.
“As Mitsubishi focuses on family wellbeing as far as our products and safety are concerned, we think this is a great way to support children for ‘Less Screen Time, More Storybook Time’, as the organisers, Just One Earth (JOE), describe the project,” says Campbell.
Sabine Lehmacher, who helps running the project, says children miss out on “downtime” so prevalent in the past where they might have picked up a book. “Now screens fill their time,” she says.
“The result is that children who don’t read for pleasure have decreased concentration, memory, confidence, lower self-esteem and general knowledge. Reading builds empathy, improves imagination and language development. Reading for pleasure is the single biggest indicator of a child’s success academically – more than social background or parents’ education.”
Mitsubishi family members are asked to join the drive to donate a few books.
“You can simply bring it to the Golf Day at Silverlakes on Thursday 3 December, take it to a lil’brary near you, drop it off at any of our dealers, or send an email to bookdrive@mitsubishi-sa.co.za so that we can make arrangements,” concludes Campbell.
JOE Lil’brary is currently located at the following areas in Gauteng:
Pretoria
- Pure Cafe Colbyn
- JulieBean Artisan Coffee
- Toni’s Fully Furnished Pizza Co.
- Coffee on 18th
- The Grove Mall (x3 lil’braries)
- Watermeyer Shopping Centre
- Glenfair Boulevard at La Cucina Café
- Colbyn Golf Park
- Netcare Unitas Hospital (paediatric ward)
- Laerskool Eben Swemmer (x2 lil’braries)
- Pierre van Ryneveld Medical Centre
- Elite Wealth Solutions (Rec room)
- Tygervalley Montessori (Pretoria)
- x18 COSUP Rehab centres in Tshwane, a University of Pretoria initiative.
Krugersdorp
- Krugersdorp-Wes-boksklub
Johannesburg
- The AfterSchoolZone
- Ferndale Shopping Centre on Republic Rd
