When was the last time you saw a book available in all 11 official languages?
Did you know that 80% of South Africans speak a home language other than English but not enough books are available in their home languages?
This is a mission that Cadbury Dairy Milk has undertaken; changing the narrative in storytelling and making everyone feel inclusive.
At the launch of its #HomegrownStories initiative and storytelling workshops at the Sandton Library on May 26, brand manager Tshepo Chaka noted that South Africa was a nation of natural storytellers, crafted through our shared experiences and diversity.
“It is often said that if we do not preserve our local languages, we will one day tell our children that we were once African. It is a painful realisation that if we do not do something right now as a collective, we will lose our languages.”
Last year’s campaign asked people to translate words into the mother tongue, words that were weaved into exciting new stories.
To date, 500 stories have been translated and made available for download from the Cadbury Digital Library with an additional 45 000 books printed and distributed directly to the children who need it most.
This year, the initiative calls on the community to join in and help children fall in love with reading by sharing their own authentic home-grown story.
Professional storyteller and author Baeletsi Tsatsi added that by telling relatable stories to children, we give them a sense of belonging in this world.
“[We] let them know that they matter and their experiences matter. If we want children to fall inlove with reading and themselves, then it is paramount that they see themselves in the stories that they read, and this is a beautiful way to do that.”
Interested in sharing your home-grown story? Look out for the Cadbury Homegrown Story Edition chocolates at your local supermarket for all the details on how to unlock your stories.
Visit the Cadbury Digital Library on www.cadbury.one to read a story in your home language.
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