We at South Africa’s Kapama Private Game Reserve assist our local community in numerous ways, one of which is through the education of surrounding community’s children. We partnered with an NGO called EcoChildren a few years back. This non-profit organization focuses on hands-on environmental education and whole school development. EcoChildren works with schools in and around Bushbuckridge as well as Acornhoek in the Limpopo Province to improve the level of schooling and give local children a chance to escape the shackles of poverty.
One of EcoChildren’s key focus points is the construction of libraries at schools. Research done by the University of Pretoria has shown that 8 of 10 Grade 4 pupils still can’t ready at the required and appropriate level. South Africa was placed last out of 50 countries in the progress in the International Reading Literacy Study. Furthermore, our scores have not improved since 2011. This shows how imperative it is for young children to have access to books and an environment conducive to stimulate this interest. The ability to read by Grade 4 is crucial. From Grade 1-3, the focus is on learning to read, but Grade 4 onwards the focus shifts to reading to learn.
EcoChildren has recently completed construction of their sixth and seventh libraries at local schools to help pupils attending the schools to improve their level of reading and promote a culture and love for books. The buildings themselves are colorful and cool havens of learning. All they need now are books and children to complete the picture.
Now the task remains to fill the shelves!
Kapama Private Game Reserve has launched a Children’s Book Drive to assist EcoChildren in filling the shelves of the new school libraries. With your help, we can enrich the lives of these children. Educational as well as storybooks will go a long way in furthering their education.
We would love for you to get involved. If you have any children’s books lying around not being used and collecting dust, we would be more than willing to take them off your hands. The books can be English, Sepedi, Tsonga for the ages of 5-14 years.
Please feel free to contact our Community Officer Trichia Jacobs via email at trichia.jacobs@kapama.co.za for more information on our book drive and how to get involved.
By Kapama Reserve
