help2read’s primary school learners and Literacy Tutors in Wemmershoek received an amazing gift today in celebration of the 30th anniversary of Books for Africa: a book of their own to choose and take home!
help2read is delighted to have finalised a partnership with German-based child rights development agency, terre des hommes (TDH), to expand its Literacy Tutor programme to the Diepsloot community north of Johannesburg. Through funding from TDH and others, 2018 will see 20 newly recruited and trained Literacy Tutors (LTs) provide help2read’s flagship one-on-one reading help assistance to some 250 learners.
It was around a kitchen table in London that Susan Belgrave and 8 other friends decided that the rate of illiteracy amongst English children was not acceptable, so they decided to do something about it. They started to volunteer in schools and work one on one with children who were struggling with reading.
What do Brand South Africa’s Pumela Salela, brilliant wit and satirist Rory Bremner, De Beers’ CEO Bruce Cleaver and Bonham’s Giles Peppiatt have in common? They all participated in last night’s second help2read “ Shine A Light on Literacy” Gala Dinner.
September saw our teams increase our efforts in highlighting the growing concerns around the number of children who are able to read and write at even a basic level. National literacy month challenged many to focus on ways of improving literacy levels and highlighting the importance of reading and having access to books.
South African literacy organisation, help2read, is helping youth creatively engage with the world of work whilst also providing critical literacy infrastructure and services to their communities in the Western Cape and Gauteng.
We have some exciting news to share! Seattle Coffee has just released five limited edition coffee sleeves in support of help2read. Each of the five coffee sleeves features the artwork of a learner enrolled in our reading programmes at schools across the Western Cape.
In February 2017, our first group of Literacy Tutors began working with learners in Grades 2 to 4 at Wemmershoek Primary. We soon saw the desperate need for literacy support across all grades at the school, and in response, our Literacy Tutors at Wemmershoek Primary are now providing reading and literacy support to 190 learners in Grades 1 to 7.
June 16 is Youth Day in South Africa, a poignant reminder of the power and potential of youth as changemakers in society; a role that we as South Africans have perhaps not given enough credit to, supported or included as an integral part of the solution to our country’s most pressing issues.
In December, a group of UCT and Stellenbosch students cycled from Cape Town to Keurboom, near Plettenberg Bay, to raise funds for help2read. The group of 13 students cycled for 11 days during their varsity vacation, raising R25,000 for help2read.
Registered SA Non-Profit 063-979 PBO 930027054 UK Charity Reg No. 1109567 Registered Office: Oak Farm Cottage, Mill Street, Gislingham, Suffolk, IP23 8JT
