Toekies creche get much-needed reading material
Books to make a huge difference in our way of teaching here — Dickidoy Creche.
Dickidoi Creche and Joy Educare Centre were over the moon with their brand new books and learning DVD’s they received as donation from Nali’bali – a local organization in South Africa.
Nal’ibali (isiXhosa for “here’s the story”) is a national reading-for-enjoyment campaign to spark children’s potential through storytelling and reading.
“We are so grateful for all the books and help we have received from Nali’bali. The books will make a huge difference in our way of teaching here. We are always short of toys here and with the new books it helps to fill the gap we have,” Dashine Voster, Dickidoi Matron said.
Margareth Peterson, Matron at Joy Educare Centre was just as pleased with the materials and books they received saying that they have always encouraged their children to read from a young age and the books from Nali’bali will help them to realize their goals.
According to a statement released by Nali’bali, “Children who are immersed in great and well-told stories, and in languages they understand, become inspired and are motivated to learn to read for themselves and such personally rewarding learning is a recipe for successful literacy development.”
Nal’ibali is driven by PRAESA (the Project for the Study of Alternative Education in South Africa), Times Media and a growing number of partners. Through sustained mentoring and collaboration with communities, reading clubs, literacy organizations and volunteers of all ages, as well as a vibrant media campaign, Nal’ibali is helping to root a culture of literacy into the fabric of everyday life in South Africa.
Their goals are to create a general awareness of the critical link between reading for enjoyment and educational achievement through mass media and face-to-face engagement. They also want to inform and guide individuals and organizations on how to use reading for enjoyment for children’s literacy development. They also want to supply and connect people in South Africa with a range of appropriate material for children in all South African languages.
The Nal’ibali characters provide an accessible and fun way of modelling how we use reading and writing in our lives, and how books offer a desirable way to appreciate and share thoughts, ideas, values and knowledge. The characters are intended to inspire us all to do the same as we experience how stories and books are firmly rooted in the characters’ daily lives. The Nal’ibali characters are illustrated by Rico, artist of the long-running SA comic strip Madam and Eve.
