Trust promotes culture of reading

THE Iqraa Trust, a non-profit organisation based in Glenwood which offers financial assistance to humanitarian organisations and university students, recently donated R250 000 to promote a culture of reading in schools.

According to the chairman of the Trust, Dr Mahmoud Youssef Baker, schools are often faced with the challenge of providing learners with the resources required for reading and writing. He said most schools don’t have proper classrooms and to expect libraries would be a luxury that many schools cannot afford.

In light of this, Iqraa Trust provided 10 schools in the areas of Phoenix, Chatsworth, Umlazi and Inanda with a mobile trolley library facility. Schools in Umlazi and Inanda were identified by Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) and the Environment and Language Education Trust (ELET). The library consists of a trolley that opens up into book shelves.

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The trolley is lockable and can store up to 1 200 books. The inner doors of the trolley allow a display for books chosen by the teacher to emphasise a particular topic to pupils or to display age appropriate books. The trolley has wheels and is hence mobile and can be moved from class to class depending on how schools wish to utilise it. The objective is to make access to libraries a societal priority.

Speaking at a function to introduce this unique facility to the principals of the selected schools, Dr Baker focused on the importance of reading and improving education in the country. He assured the principals that Iqraa Trust would continue to promote and support a culture of reading through yearly donations of the Mobile Trolley Library and books to various schools.

Iqraa Trust donated the initial 200 books and included Natural Science and Technology textbooks for Grade 5, 6 and 7 learners.

Baker urged community members and parents to donate books to their local schools thereby ensuring a start to a full-scale library.

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