In 2011, Cheryl Jacobs (51) visited Timour Hall Primary School while working as a Project Manager for an educational publishing house. She started volunteering as a Reading Helper soon after her visit, and began working one-on-one with learners to help them improve their reading. For Cheryl, giving back to her community through volunteering as a Reading Helper is an integral part of a successful life. “Today, success and volunteering for me goes hand in glove. It very simply means: using my skills and talents to help a child achieve greatness”, she explained.

Cheryl reflected on how impactful the sessions were in her own life as a Volunteer Reading Helper, “It was during this time that I learnt a few valuable and life changing lessons. For example: You can change a child’s life in sixty seconds. Even if a child fails a million times at something, encourage him/her to do the same thing over and over again until they get it right. There is no such thing as getting it right the first time around.”

For new volunteers, Cheryl shared poignant advice, “Don’t limit yourself. You can help a child overcome a daily challenge. You can be a guiding light in any child’s life. You can change the world too.”