NEWS, VIEWS & OTHER INTERESTING THINGS

help2read is very privileged to have some of the best volunteers in the country. They are dedicated, passionate and completely committed to their learners. They do an outstanding job of helping learners improve reading skills and cultivate a love of books. They consistently give off their time with such love and passion, expecting nothing in return. We celebrate these special men and women for their contribution and want them to know how valued they are. Our schools constantly tell us that they can see reading skills improve and confidence grow in the learners who attend help2read. To all our volunteers we say:

Thank you! You are our greatest asset. You make help2read successful.

We chatted with three of our long-standing volunteers about their experience as volunteers. Here’s what they had to say when asked:

1. When and why you joined help2read?

‘I retired at the end of 2014, gave myself a break and then looked for something to occupy a few hours a week that I would enjoy. I saw an ad for help2read and checked the website for more info. I am an avid reader and cannot imagine what life must be like without reading. That was the start, in May 2015’- Audrey

‘I think it was 2013 that I started. I love reading myself and know it’s VERY important that everyone needs to be able to read to be educated, but also for enjoyment’ – Hilary

‘I joined in 2012. My love of reading was instilled by my mother, she prized my mind’.–Denise

2. Why do you stay?

‘It makes me very angry when a child reaches 8 years old and cannot read; they have no future without this basic skill. I become stubborn and that’s what makes me persevere’ – Audrey

‘I stay because the kids are lovely and enjoy the sessions even though it is really hard work for them as they struggle so much’. – Hilary

‘I stay because I received the gift of reading. A gift I can share as a volunteer with help2read’. – Denise

3. One of your highlights over the years.

‘One of my learners, Success, after he had repeated Grade 2 and we had worked together for 18 months. He could barely speak and really struggled. I had given up (in my head) and suddenly he opened his mouth and read an entire book fluently – with good articulation and expression. I cried all the way home’. – Audrey

‘I loved the kid who asked me if I could come every day (maybe just wanting to skive out of class), and the learner who started off surly initially but then ran out the class to meet me when he saw me through the window’. – Hilary

‘One highlight is a handmade red thank you card I received from Njongo in Grade 5 with the words “thank you teacher Denise for helping me to enjoy reading. Love-Njongo”. This learner graduated from help2read in 2013. In 2014, as a walked to my car after reading to another child, I saw a group of children from the school walking and there was Njongo with a big smile on his face. He ran up to me and gave me a big hug. I still smile now writing about it’ – Denise

You all have such a wonderful ability to meet each child’s needs individually with such care and a strong belief that they can make it.

The children are so lucky to have you, and so are we.