Let us all celebrate, glorify the African child

AS AN AFRICAN Child, I am proud to say I am Beautifully African. I am free in my own expression of beauty through my love for my continent, it’s diverse, and colourful culture, heritage and its ubuntu.

All this despite experiencing the personal, social and economic impact of Covid-19, which is discomforting, confusing and irritating.

Let us not forget to celebrate Africa Month 2020.

African Day is May 25, but the month of May is a time when our continent, Africa, commemorates the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU).

It is obvious that life in Africa is a struggle for many, and the life of a child is even harder.

My book, Tim’s Answer, was privileged to be a selected reading for this month because, in the book, I encourage children, and even adults, to love this continent and to find their role models in Africa.

In order to encourage knowledge growth in this continent, I challenge everyone to buy an African book or a book written on Africa, and donate to a child.

With schools closed due to the Coronavirus, I feel many children need to be motivated.

In fact, reading will keep them inspired in this lockdown.

It makes me so sad that many African children do not know about, let alone celebrate, African writers.

As Brand South African Play-YourPart Ambassador, I have committed to collect and distribute books by Africans and about Africa only, to children and institutions.

My celebration of African has given me great honour to be the custodian of the “AfrICAN Children of the Year Awards”.

These awards fulfil my dream to celebrate African children.

Please step up for an African child a bit to glorify it as an African gift, and promote Africa to Africans as a continent of choice.

Let us boldly be free to say: “I am an African Child”. The speech was made by former President of South Africa Mr Thabo Mbeki in 1996.