Thabitha dreams of building a reading nation
Founder of the Polokwane Book Drive, 23-year-old Thabitha Maphalle will soon launch the first annual Excite Your Mind book festival.
POLOKWANE – The BA social work graduate is a go-getter and a literary activist, and explained that her love for education was cultivated and nurtured by her parents who both happened to be teachers.
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“I attended Pietersburg Comprehensive School where my teachers encouraged me to be the best. My high school years were filled with great memories. I went to Capricorn High School, where I was also a librarian. That contributed to the manner in which I noticed how books provide an escape for people,” she said.
In her quest to building a reading nation, she had her first project in 2015, entitled the Polokwane Book Drive, in which she collected books from the community and proceeded in donating these to shelters in Polokwane.
Her upcoming event will be a similar initiative which will enable individuals to explore how authors, publishers, poets as well as the public are able to interact, helping to broaden horizons.
“It is all about taking back our freedom. This means being able to not only discuss change but be change agents.
“Conversations will be started through the different panel discussions. The aim is to raise awareness in the importance of reading and writing as well as to introduce more people to the world of literature,” she explained.
The Excite Your Mind book festival will be held on Saturday, 7 April. The venue is yet to be confirmed.
“This event is different from other events because it involves the participation of a number of people. This is a mutual event where everyone contributes their knowledge. This is a family event that caters for all age groups and all ethnic groups. The festival will include academics, culture, politics and general topics, and will encourage people to get together and start book clubs, or even write more. I have a vision and what would be beautiful is to see people appreciating my efforts. What’s important is for people to relate to the event and also want to have more events,” she concluded.
