GrandWest supported International Literacy month this September with a donation of R116 000 for Read to Rise and a little help from current Miss South Africa, Shudufhadzo Musida.
R100 000 was used to provide a vehicle for Read to Rise to transport their books, equipment, staff, volunteers and their mascot to and from schools across the Mitchell’s Plain area. A further R16 000 has provided books and a mini-library to Riverton Primary School in Bishop Lavis.
The books are aimed at learners from Grades 2 to Grades 4, and will provide the youngsters with an Interactive Classroom Programme as well as Mini-libraries.
GrandWest General Manager Mervyn Naidoo said “School children in our disadvantaged communities only read about one to two books a year but they need to be exposed to about 50 books in that time. Children not only need to learn to read, they need to learn to read to understand which will assist them as they progress through higher grades, and it will spark their imaginations and creativity.
“We hope that through the Read to Rise initiative we will have sparked a lifelong love of reading and learning for pupils at Riverton Primary School.”
Read to Rise aims to make a significant impact in improving youth literacy in South Africa by addressing two of the most troubling realities in disadvantaged areas, which is that children either do not have access to books, or they are not motivated to read.
The Classroom Programme is designed using a pioneering book-and-engagement model – it is an interactive classroom session that is designed around a book. Each classroom programme has an interactive lesson with posters and props, and involves reading to the learners, giving them a quiz about the book, and a class reading session where all learners read together and receive real-time reading support and guidance. Learners also get to keep their books.
Mini-libraries include 50 new books that will be placed in each classroom. These are new age-appropriate books in different languages that encourage reading for pleasure. Books are placed in a customised bookshelf and their use is managed by the class teacher via a reading tracker poster. At the end of the year, Read to Rise will revisit the school. The learner in each class who has read the most books will receive a reward from the organisation.
Riverton Primary’s principal Swartz said the learners and teachers are grateful to GrandWest and Read to Rise for their assistance. “Having this dedicated Interactive Classroom Programme and Mini-Libraries in classrooms will motivate our younger learners to read books, expand their knowledge and ultimately enjoy access to so many new books”.
GrandWest has previously supported Read to Rise by supplying Care Pack’s for the Leonsdale, Mokone, Kenmere and Beaconvale Primary Schools.
