Nothing is quite as important as the pursuit of literacy in a country where the majority live in dire poverty. Literacy is ‘food for thought’, nurturing growth of individuals and empowering them to bring about positive change in their own circumstances. Held in September each year, Literacy Month serves to draw attention to the salience of literacy in a knowledge-hungry world.
This is an opportune time for NGOs like READ Educational Trust, who have successfully promoted literacy in South Africa for nearly four decades. Operating broadly in the education and literacy sectors, READ facilitates educator training and provision of school resources. This is done through various vehicles and programmes including school-based workshops, life-skills training, classroom support and mentoring.
The annual Readathon campaign is READ’s pride and joy, and focuses on exciting activities to promote literacy and even more importantly, a love for reading amongst South African children. This year’s campaign includes workshops hosted countrywide, during Literacy Month. This will be the fourth year that READ’s Readathon Red Reading Box will form an integral part of activities and through this initiative, over 12 000 children are reached, nationally.
The Red Reading Box has proved invaluable in getting children excited about reading. It is filled to the brim with board games, interesting stories of various genres, puzzles, things to make, and all items required to complete every activity. It’s suitable for primary school learners from Grade 4, right through to those in high school.
Every year, a special theme is dedicated to the Red Reading Box. This year’s theme, celebrates the countless treasures we have all around us. A Treasure Book is filled with stories, riddles, word games, pop-ups and more. A Treasure Journal encourages learners to get creative and work on their own stories and ideas. Then there’s the Treasure Hunt board game as well as a pack of 54 playing cards: Treasure Playing Cards, which encourage an increase in vocabulary. A Treasure Poster and a Treasury of Stories completes the enriching line-up in this year’s Readathon Red Reading Box.
Parents and teachers are encouraged to purchase a Readathon Read Reading Box for only R250. 100% of the profits go to READ’S programmes in disadvantaged communities all over South Africa, encouraging the sheer joy of picking up a book, and reading!
To find out more, visit www.read.org.za or purchase your Readathon Red Reading Box directly from READ for R250 – www.read.org.za or from Take-a-Lot – www.takealot.com. Join the conversations on:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/READEduTrust
Twitter: www.twitter.com/READEduTrust
Instagram: www.instagram.com/read_educational_trust
Further information : Celeste Hewett
Tel : 011 236 8655
Email : celeste@chcommunications.co.za
