Creating excitement about reading at libraries

Literacy non-profit organisation, READ to RISE, hosted five full day programmes at five public libraries – Tafelsig Public Library, Rocklands Public Library, Lentegeur Public Library, Westridge Public Library and Town Centre Public Library - in Mitchells Plain during the December/January school holidays.

131 children benefitted from the READ to RISE Holiday Programme. Each child received 4 new story books, 3 activity books, a pencil and lunch. Children got to see the OAKY Puppet Show, learn about the stories from the OAKY series and also work on activities with READ to RISE facilitators. A total of 524 story books and 393 activity books were given out.

The project was funded by the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sports.

READ to RISE is a non-profit organisation that promotes youth literacy in under-resourced communities such as Mitchells Plain. They hope to inspire children to read with a fun, interactive classroom programme and also giving each learner a new book to take home. In communities like Mitchells Plain, many children have never owned a book before. “Book ownership can ignite a love for reading” says READ to RISE Programme Manager, Roscoe Williams.

READ to RISE currently offers programmes for Grade 2 and 3 classes and works with all 47 primary schools in Mitchells Plain. To date, the organisation have visited over 6,300 classes to conduct their programme and given out over 286,000 new books. The books which are used in the programme are the Oaky Series which are inspirational stories written by award-winning poet Athol Williams who grew up in Mitchells Plain. Children need to read in order to ‘rise’ despite their circumstances. In Mitchells Plain, children face many challenges including gangs and drugs. “We believe that children who read, will excel at school and go on to become constructive citizens.” says Williams.

READ to RISE relies on sponsorships from individuals, trusts and corporates in order to conduct their programmes in schools and libraries.

The SALI Trust has recently partnered with READ to RISE to conduct the OAKY Puppet Show at 25 public libraries in Cape Town in 2023. 225 books from the OAKY Series will be given to these libraries so that children can borrow the books to read. ‘We are grateful to sponsors like The SALI Trust so that READ to RISE can get more children excited about reading and libraries.’ say Williams.

For more info, please email info@readtorise.co.za

READ to RISE wins literacy award

On 13 October 2022, non-profit organisation, READ to RISE won the Western Cape Cultural Affairs and Sport Award for Significant Contribution to the Development and Advancement of Reading and Literacy!

READ to RISE was founded by Athol Williams and Taryn Lock. Over the 9 years, READ to RISE has inspired over 100,000 children to read in under-resourced communities around South Africa. The organisation works with 47 primary schools in Mitchells Plain and 30 primary schools in Soweto. To date, the organisation has conducted over 5,600 class programmes and given out over 260,000 new story books.

READ to RISE also does the OAKY Puppet Show at public libraries around Cape Town during school holidays. The organisation also hosts the Cape Flats Book Festival. The second book festival took place 15-16 October 2022 at West End Primary School in Lentegeur, Mitchells Plain.

READ to RISE won the 2019 Western Cape Cultural Affairs and Sport Award for Best Library Programme.

READ to RISE Programme Manager, Roscoe Williams, represented the organisation at the awards evening and also was nominated for Significant Contribution to Language Development for his work in Mitchells Plain. Roscoe team includes Programme Facilitators Mark Klink and Anastacia von Vogel.

Co-Founder and author of the Oaky Series, Athol Williams, is an award-winning poet, social philosopher and academics - currently doing his PhD at Oxford University. Co-Founder, READ to RISE Executive Director and illustrator of the Oaky Series, Taryn Lock, is an Obama African Leader and currently runs READ to RISE with assistance from Business Operations Manager, Madeneya Bardien. The non-profit relies on corporates and individuals to sponsor the class programmes for the 19,000 children that they work with every year.

Co-Founders Athol Williams and Taryn Lock with Oaky.

For more information, please visit www.readtorise.co.za or email info@readtorise.co.za

Stellar Line-Up at Cape Flats Book Festival

The second Cape Flats Book Festival took place on 15-16 October 2022 at West End Primary School in Lentegeur, Mitchells Plain. The festival was hosted by literacy NGO Read to Rise and this year’s book festival is sponsored by the Western Cape Government, Department of Cultural Affairs and Sports, West End Primary School and Old Mutual.

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde, Read to Rise Chairman Nicholas Williams and West End Primary School Mr Clive Arries attended the opening ceremony.

The first-ever Cape Flats Book Festival took place in September 2019. “With the pandemic, Read to Rise sadly was not able to have the book festival in 2020 and 2021, so we are so happy to be able to host the book festival this year and we have an amazing line-up of authors, poets and illustrators.” says Taryn Lock, Executive Director.

This year the programme included Patric Tariq Mellet, Yusuf Daniels, Sara-Jayne Makwala King, Joy Watson, Malika Ndlovu, Riaan Manser, Andre Trantraal, creators of Kwezi Comics, Karina Szczurek, Nancy Richards, Blaq Pearl, Chelsea Goliath, Shana Fife, to name a few.

There were 32 sessions over the 2 days with 55 speakers. There were information sessions about self-publishing, a poetry and identity workshop (by Life Righting Collective) and the Oaky Puppet Show. There were exhibitors with books and food on sale - fun for both adults and children.

“The Cape Flats Book Festival is rewriting the narrative of the Cape Flats by bringing stories, ideas and dreams to life. We are recasting literary festivals as events relevant and accessible to everyone. We are building bridges between communities. Our mission is to explicitly bring SA’s authors and publishers to the Cape Flats and to showcase the Cape Flats’ authors. These two worlds, so often structurally divided, are brought together at the festival.” says Read to Rise Co-Founder Athol Williams.

The Cape Flats Book Festival brings children and adults together around books - the best way to inspire to read is for them to see adults reading. It also facilitates economic opportunities for book sellers, publishers, food sellers and authors.

READ to RISE, founded in 2013, is a non-profit orgranisation that promotes youth literacy in under-resourced communities in South Africa. We hope to inspire children to read so that they can ‘rise’ above their circumstances. To date, the organisation has conducted over 5,900 class programmes and given out over 261,000 new story books to children around South Africa.

For more information or if you would like to assist READ to RISE in promoting youth literacy, please visit www.capeflatsbookfestival.com or email info@readtorise.co.za