Gift of books to instil early reading culture

THOUSANDS of underprivileged children from Early Childhood Centres (ECD) in Asanda Village, Strand, will receive free books today in an initiative to instil a reading culture in children at an early age.

Sandy Immelman of Masikhule, an organisation that helps and develops ECDs across the province, said many more children would be enjoying their new books, sparking a passion for reading and, in the process, learning and dreaming big.

She said the 5 000 books, written in isiXhosa, Afrikaans and English and developed by five of Cape Town’s leading creatives, would be provided to the centres for free.

Immelman said the giveaway was rare, and that nearly 100 ECDs would benefit from the initiative. “It is important that children recognise their own lives in their books, and can read them in their own languages.”

“It is a wonderful campaign, and we are grateful because these centres have a handful of books where teachers read one book to all of them.

“Now this will change, and every child will have a book to read in the classroom and at home.”

She added that the children benefiting from the initiative are from nearby informal settlements where a reading and writing culture is lacking.

Lithemba Educate ECD principal Beauty Mkiva said: “The children will now be able to even see what pictures are on the book, and relate to them. We are grateful.”

Last month, children’s centres across the Helderberg, Grabouw and the Cape Winelands benefited from the initiative, funded by homefittings company Decorland in partnership with Book Dash and Masikhule.

Co-founder of Book Dash Arthur Attwell said this initiative was the organisation’s largest book giveaway yet.

“Our volunteers are creative professionals who do the work of publishers for free so that we can minimise the cost of new, African storybooks and make big giveaways like this possible.”

Bronwyn McAllen, brand manager at Decorland, said: “We know that books boost young minds, and enable crucial interaction between children, caregivers and older siblings.

“And this is a great way for us to support the work of organisations like Masikhule.”