On 14 June 2018, help2read co-hosted a charity dinner to mark the 100 Anniversary of the birth of Nelson Mandela. The Icons Dinner recognised his powerful leadership and also celebrated the contribution made by 30 other important South African Icons of the past 100 years to nation-building in the new South Africa.
There’s something magical about creating your own books, which is why it’s one of our all-time favourite activities to do with our help2read learners. What’s more is that it is wonderfully easy to do and inexpensive to create, and the options are absolutely endless!
I’ve always known that every child is on their own unique journey as they grow and develop. It was only when I became a Volunteer Reading Helper in 2014 that I realised the important role that reading plays along that journey of development.
School holidays are around the corner. We’ve seen many learners make great progress in their reading over the past school term, but we know all too well that if children put down their books over the holidays, their reading ability can drop.
“Readers are leaders”. It’s a saying that’s often used to inspire children to read and rightly so. Books play a powerful role in developing the young minds of future leaders and it’s not hard to see why when you begin to unpack the many benefits of reading.
From launching programmes at new schools to partnering with universities to train future teachers, 2018 has been a fun-filled, action-packed year so far. We have seen a lot of exciting growth in various areas, and are thrilled to see so many new wonderful volunteers and Literacy Tutors join our programmes, each one making a lasting impact on the lives of children in South Africa.
LEGO is a powerful tool for playful learning, especially when it comes to learning to read. We recently partnered with Care For Education to incorporate LEGO Duplo into our Book Boxes at schools and external partners.
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.
This year we celebrated South African Library Week and World Storytelling Day across the Western Cape and Gauteng with a number of exciting activities to motivate learners to visit their local library and get reading.
My journey with help2read started in 2010 after I retired as an accountant. After returning from an overseas holiday, I came back refreshed and saw an advertisement in our local community newspaper, The Athlone News, in which help2read advertised for volunteers to assist children to read at local schools.
Registered SA Non-Profit 063-979 PBO 930027054 UK Charity Reg No. 1109567 Registered Office: Oak Farm Cottage, Mill Street, Gislingham, Suffolk, IP23 8JT
