As South Africa concludes Literacy Month and following the celebration of Heritage Day, which honors the country’s diversity, cultural inclusivity, and mutual understanding, a special event took place at Hansel and Gretel Early Childhood Development (ECD) Centre in Bellville South yesterday, 25th September..
This event took place as part of Wimpy’s flagship CSI initiative, Read with Wimpy, which recognises the importance of multicultural education and the need for children to access books in their own language. Over 100 children and staff came together to enjoy a morning of fun and storytelling, with a special reading by South African author Siphokazi Madlingozi.
The day’s highlights included a visit from Modise, the reading magician, who delighted the children with magic tricks and engaging tales, encouraging them to become readers and use books as tools for change.
Esmeralda Henkeman, Principal at Hansel and Gretel ECD said, “We are so happy and grateful to be able to give our children the chance to have these books. The children will enjoy reading and learning in their own languages, helping them to become confident readers and change-makers.”
The initiative comes at a crucial point for literacy in South Africa. The 2023 National Reading Barometer revealed that nearly three in five households do not own a single book, and 65 percent of homes with children under the age of 10 lack picture books. With many learners leaving Grade One without full alphabet knowledge, it’s projected that by 2026, approximately 69% of 10-year-olds will be unable to read for meaning.
This year, UNESCO’s International Literacy Day theme—Promoting Multilingual Education: Literacy for Mutual Understanding and Peace—reinforces the importance of literacy in all of South Africa’s official languages.
Building on the success of its previous campaigns to make diverse books available at Wimpy restaurants and online, Read with Wimpy providesunderprivileged ECDs, like Hansel and Gretel, across the country with a Library in a Box.” The Library in a Box is a movable book trolley containing approximately 50 storybooks, featuring relatable and recognisable South African folktales written and illustrated by local authors in all 11 official languages.
The initiative also provides each child with a set of five books—both in English and their home language to take home. Further to this, teachers receive comprehension materials and activity sheets to promote phonemic awareness, fluency, and vocabulary skills in support of early literacy development.
Jodi Law, Brand Manager at Wimpy said, “Embracing multilingual and multicultural literacy empowers every child’s voice. We realise how important it is to introduce literacy at the ECD level, in children’s home languages, so that the stories they encounter are meaningful and relatable and we’re committed to doing this through our Read with Wimpy initiative.”
Visit https://wimpy.co.za/kids/read-with-wimpy/ to find out more.
