Spreading the love of stories

MBDA, Nali’Bali reach out to northern areas

MORE than 1 600 pupils celebrated World Read Aloud Day in Port Elizabeth’s northern areas last week.

The national reading-for-enjoyment campaign Nal’ibali, in partnership with the Mandela Bay Development Agency (MBDA), visited Bay View, Hillcrest and Helenvale primary schools to spread the love of reading.

MBDA communication manager Luvuyo Bangazi said Helenvale was identified as Nelson Mandela Bay’s most challenged area, affected by unemployment, drug addiction and gang violence – which is why the area was chosen for the reading and other school initiatives.

Bangazi said the MBDA had a five-year development programme which also includes a safer schools project.

“We have an initiative called Safety and Peace through Urban Upgrading (SPUU) where we deal with a number of problems in various areas,” he said.

“Today [last week] we focused on the northern areas with the aim of enriching the pupils through literacy.

“We are trying to create access to equal education and equal opportunities,” Bangazi said.

Intermediate and senior phase head of department at Bayview Primary School in Gelvandale Jerome Bennet said the pupils came from a harsh environment they take pleasure in initiatives such as the reading day.

“The pupils will now want to explore and know more. They responded positively to the programme. They took part, stood up and read aloud,” he said.

Grade 4 pupil at Bayview Primary School Kieran Lottering, 9, said she enjoyed watching the puppet show which was also put on during the programme.

“I feel happy and I enjoyed the show. The story they shared with us were beautiful and now I want to read more books,” Kieran said.

Provincial Nal’ibali literacy mentor Malusi Puwe said they aim to encourage reading among children and parents.

He said children feel more enthusiastic when they read with their parents, they thrive on interaction and it creates a bond between the parent and child.

“We visited Helenvale Primary, especially because of its social ills. We handed over Nal’ibali reading supplements and really created a different atmosphere in the schools,” Puwe said.

Grade 1 teacher at Hillcrest Primary School Coleen Oliver said the pupils felt encouraged by the programme.

“The children were taught how to improve their reading, books were donated and we are going to laminate them and each grade is going to receive a book distributed by Nal’ibali,” Oliver said.

ý Puwe said this year’s World Read Aloud Day target was 500 000 pupils pledging to partake in the programme nationally.

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