Illiteracy is one of the biggest hurdles that South Africa faces. Children who are not able to read, face serious developmental challenges, which ultimately renders them unemployable as adults. Unemployment is one of the biggest contributing factors to poverty in this country. 

By Cassy van Eeden 

This is disheartening. However, according to Esther Etkin, campaign manager for Nal’ibali, “none of this is unsolvable”. This is exactly what Nal’ibali’s aims to reverse. The campaign looks to create a literate society where stories and books are part of our daily lives through reading and storytelling. 

Children who read are children who flourish 

“In 2011, 53% of all Grade 3 children and 70% of all Grade 6 children scored less than 35% on the Annual National Assessment language test,” says Etkin. However, by encouraging a love of reading and providing access to reading material, “we can counter some of the effects of poverty on educational attainment”, she adds. 

David Harrison, CEO of the DG Murray Trust, the primary funder of the Nal’ibali campaign, says that research has proven that: children who read for pleasure perform better in the classroom. “And not just in vocabulary and spelling, but also in maths.” Etkin adds that school children who are read to are able to form abstract concepts across the curriculum. 

The Nal’ibali campaign aims to foster an environment that makes provision for reading and telling stories. This is because, as Etkin notes: “Reading and stories help children [to] develop their imagination, creativity, language and thinking.” 

In addition to providing the best possible foundation for education, encouraging reading for enjoyment also helps children to understand themselves, their world and the challenges they face. 

“There are also many wonderful stories about the potentially tough situations and dilemmas like starting school, separation, illness, death, divorce, prejudice and bullying that children might face,” says Etkin. Children who read often discover characters who they can identify with which helps them to feel less alone and “may also help them to better understand and cope with a challenging situation”, she says. 

Unconventional methods for effective results 

Attempting to target young children directly seems like the obvious solution to illiteracy. However, Nal’ibali sees things differently. “Our core target is caregivers [such as] parents, grandparents, teachers, librarians and reading club volunteers. Any caring adult who engages with children between 0 months and 15-years-old,” explains Etkin.

Nal’ibali reaches a total of 9000 children each week through their network of 301 reading clubs, which currently run in six of the country’s provinces. The campaign also runs Storyplay programmes which empowers communities and Early Childhood Development centres to use storytelling, reading and play to develop early literacy. 

Mother tongue first, English later

It is not as if nothing is being done to address illiteracy in South Africa. Instead, there are a number of reading programmes that are run both by the government and by independent organisations. What sets Nal’ibali apart, however, is their emphasis on the mother tongue. Other campaigns interpret literacy as being able to write and speak English. “This is problematic,” says Etkin, “Children should first learn how to read and write in their home languages.” 

Etkin explains that there is very little use in trying to teach children a language that they don’t understand before they can read in their own language. “If you don’t understand what you are reading, then you are not really reading, no matter how well you can say the worlds on the page,” explains Etikin. “Understanding is at the heart of reading, children need to listen to stories being read in their home language.” 

Anyone can make a difference 

The Nal’ibali campaign and its programmes are run by the Project for the Study of Alternative Education in South Africa (PRAESA). PRAESA is an independent research and development unit attached to the University of Cape Town.

Through partnerships, Nal’ibali initiates and supports the conditions that are required to sustain reading for enjoyment. To become involved in the work that the campaign does, people can either start their own reading clubs, donate books and stationery, volunteer at existing reading clubs as well as help fund programmes and materials. 

One of the biggest contributing factors to poverty is unemployment. And unemployment often stems from illiteracy. Teaching children about the value of reading is one sure way to make an impact on poverty in South Africa. 

For more information about the Nal’ibali campaign, visit their website. Alternatively, connect with the campaign via Facebook and Twitter.