A global literacy campaign is aiming to put books into the hands of 500,000 children, giving South Africans an opportunity to directly support greater access to reading.
The World Literacy Foundation is inviting South Africans to participate in its One Book at a Time campaign, launched around International Literacy Day as part of its wider ambition to eradicate illiteracy by 2040.
Through the campaign, donors can select the region they want to support, with every US$10 contribution providing a book to a child.
The intervention comes as access to reading and literacy support remains a major challenge in South Africa.
According to figures highlighted by the Foundation, 81% of South African Grade 4 learners cannot read for meaning in any language, representing more than 900,000 children.
The Foundation says expanding access to books is an important part of creating opportunities for children to develop the foundational literacy skills that influence their education and future prospects.
“Literacy is not simply about learning to read; it is about unlocking opportunity, reducing poverty, and giving children the chance to reach their full potential,” said Andrew Kay, CEO and Founder of the World Literacy Foundation.
The organisation’s work in South Africa also extends beyond providing physical books.
Through its Sun Books initiative, the Foundation provides solar-powered tablets containing more than 500 e-books to classrooms that do not have reliable access to electricity and conventional educational resources.
The programme combines the technology with teacher training, helping educators use the digital resources to support literacy development.
Dr Mia le Roux from the University of Pretoria works as the Foundation’s local partner, with literacy activities also involving the Literacy Association of South Africa and Gauteng Department of Education.
Together, partners have organised school reading days designed to encourage children to engage with books and strengthen reading as part of their learning experience.
The intervention comes against a challenging national literacy backdrop.
South Africa recorded the lowest result among participating countries in the most recent Progress in International Reading Literacy Study, while the country experienced the largest decline among countries with comparable results.
The challenge extends into adulthood. While South Africa’s adult literacy rate was reported at 91.15% in 2024, the Foundation cites Department of Higher Education and Training figures indicating that nearly four million adults were classified as illiterate in 2022.
Internationally, UNESCO estimates that 739 million adults are unable to read or write, while approximately 182 million of those adults live in sub-Saharan Africa.
This year’s International Literacy Day marks 60 years since UNESCO established the observance in 1966 and is being commemorated under the theme“Literacy for People, the Planet, and Prosperity.”
For the World Literacy Foundation, the One Book at a Time campaign turns that global focus into a practical intervention — connecting individual contributions directly to books for children who may otherwise have limited access to reading materials.
