Masifunde Sonke, the much-hyped campaign to build a nation of readers, was given a major boost last month with the launch of the Nozincwadi (Mother of Books) Project, featuring Gcina Mhlophe, the acclaimed children’s storyteller.
Mhlophe will travel throughout the country to promote reading and inspire future young writers. The Nozincwadi Project will target between seven and 10 rural towns in each province, where Mhlophe will also visit schools and community centres to tell and read stories. The stories are intended to encourage parents to get involved in literacy and reading.
The books donated to communities during the visits will help teachers to set up library boxes and librarians to increase their collection of books.
“To me, this project is not like any another; it is both a fresh approach to the promotion of reading, and an opportunity to drive our campaign and parade the culture of reading in this country and the rest of the African continent,” Deputy Minister of Education Mosibudi Mangena said at the launch.
“We view the Nozincwadi Project as the perfect vehicle for all role-players in the reading and book sectors because it will reach the untapped market of non-traditional readers. We have a firm belief that Gcina and the rest of her crew will assist us in dealing with matters that continue to discourage our nation from reading,” Mangena said.
Mhlophe’s initiative, under the Masifunde Sonke banner, is the first major event since the campaign’s launch by Minister of Education Kader Asmal in December last year. Mangena said the culture of reading and of buying books could not be built in a single year, and that to keep the campaign alive, the department was conducting a feasibility study to establish a national reading development trust.
He said the trust would ensure that all reading initiatives, big and small, received equal treatment and support, financially and otherwise. “It will become the hub of information regarding reading in this country and the rest of Africa. I appeal to all to give the Masifunde Sonke ministerial committee members the support they need in the attempt to build a nation of readers.”
Mangena expressed concern at the large number of people in the country – estimated at between 6-million and 8-million – who do not read (this includes those who have reading skill but are not practising it, as well as those who cannot read at all). One reason for the tradition of non-reading in the country, according to Mangena, is the cost of books and newspapers for most citizens.
He added that most homes have few books, if any at all; schools with adequate numbers of class readers are still hard to come by; schools with well-equipped and utilised libraries are extremely rare; and many parents, teachers and communities don’t understand the role they can play in promoting reading.
“Reading in African languages is on the decline, in spite of our constitution affirming the value of all languages. Poor matric results, especially in townships and rural areas, are often attributed to the dearth of the students’ reading skills.
“Many black university students, including those who are enrolled for language studies and the arts, have generally been found not to have developed the level of reading proficiency that is required by international standards. This cannot be attributed to the lack of books – it is due to a poor grasp of what they have to do with books,” Mangena said.
GCINA MHLOPHE’S NOZINCWADI: MOTHER OF BOOKS
Reading Road Show
August 2001 to March 2002
Read and Grow with Nozincwadi
Concept
Nozincwadi was conceived as a tribute to reading and writing in South Africa. It will travel to the most remote areas of the country and promote reading and inspire future young writers. The story of Nozincwadi is such that young and old people will be drawn in, and the book packages given away during this reading road show will have books for children, young adults as well as recently literate adults.
Aims and objectives
To introduce and promote the pleasure of reading.
To promote South African and African authors.
To encourage young people to start creating their own stories and their own books so that they can have a say in the future of writing and reading in this country.
To distribute books within communities who otherwise would have no access to books.
Gcina Mhlophe’s approach to this project includes a strong multi-media element
Nozincwadi, the book.
A soundtrack on CD.
A video of the story of Nozincwadi and other stories.
The show will travel around the country using these elements to enhance our reading message.
– The Teacher/M&G Media, Johannesburg, October 2001.