10/09/2026
Every child deserves access to books.
In South Africa, we cannot talk about improving literacy without talking about access.
For many families, books are a luxury. Yet the foundations for literacy are built long before a child enters Grade 1.
And this is where ECD practitioners, parents, communities and funders all have a role to play.
When we put books into children's homes and ECD centres, we are not simply giving children something to read. We are giving them:
- Vocabulary
- Imagination
- Language and communication
- Curiosity
- A foundation for learning
- Opportunities for connection with their parents
And parents don't need to be teachers to make a difference. 10 minutes of reading together every day can change a child's relationship with books and learning.
Read a story. Talk about the pictures. Ask questions. Let your child tell you what they think will happen next. Read the same favourite book again—and again!
Because literacy doesn't begin when a child learns to decode words. It begins when a child learns that books are interesting, stories matter, and reading is something we do together.
So, to our ECD practitioners: make books visible and accessible.
To our parents: read to your children every day.
And to our funders and partners: invest in books, libraries and family literacy—not just classrooms.
If we want children to become readers, we must first make sure they have something to read.
