Empowering the youth through books
ROSEBANK- Leshata Seconday School learner were taught the importance of reading by the National book week on 5 August.
With the month of August being Women’s Month, National Book Week, along with financial advisory company Musa Capital, took it upon themselves to enrich the minds of the girls from Leshata Secondary School in Orange Farm.
The girls were brought from their school to Exclusive Books in Rosebank Mall for an interactive book talk with renowned author Cynthia Jele.
“I know what it feels like to have nothing and no opportunity. But I also know that there are possibilities out there and it all starts with reading to broaden a person’s horizons. These girls need to know that they can be anything they want to be,” said Jele.
National Book Week has started a pay it forward campaign called Buy a Book. It is all about spreading the joy of books to those who might not necessarily have the means to purchase a book. How it works is that a person buys a book and then simply passes it on to another in need.
To show their willingness to make the campaign a success, the pupils were each given a R250 Exclusive Books voucher to purchase a book of their choice.
Cynthia Parrish from Musa Capital said reading is fundamental to the development and building of a life and career.
“Upon bringing the pupils here, we found that most of them had never been inside a bookshop. Now they can go inside a bookshop, explore and open windows of possibilities for themselves,” she added.
Elitha van der Sandt, CEO of the South Africa Book Development Council, said there was an explicit need to bring reading into South African households. This is because it is believed that more than half of SA households do not have a book to read at leisure.
“We want to lay down a platform for these girls and let them know that reading can open so many doors,” said Van der Sandt.
Rocky Ralebipi-Simela, CEO of the National Library of South Africa recalled his experience, “When I picked up my first book called Different people by Helen van Slyke, I travelled to different places. I found this new thirst of adventure and I wanted to read more so I could be taken to different places and learn about different experiences through the authors. Likewise, these girls can open their minds and enrich their lives through reading.”
Florence Dlamini, a pupil from Leshata said she enjoyed the whole experience and learnt that reading is important. She is going to start reading as much as she can.
