| as is a time for giving and most people are | | | | centre. Assisting adults to read will not only help them |
| exceedingly generous at this time of year. No child | | | | find work, but will allow them to pass on this skill to |
| should go without a gift or a warm meal on | | | | their own children, breaking the cycle of poverty and |
| Christmas Day and many people in the world try their | | | | illiteracy for at least one family. |
| best to ensure that this doesn't happen. However, | | | | Donate books There are many charities out |
| come the New Year, a warm meal is long forgotten | | | | there that offer books to those children who cannot |
| and a new toy has lost its novelty. One of the best | | | | afford them. From mobile libraries to donations to |
| ways to make a difference at Christmas time is to | | | | schools, all your old books can be put to excellent |
| ensure that your gift or donation keeps on giving | | | | use. A spring clean around Christmas time is never a |
| long after the decorations have come down. Helping | | | | bad idea either! |
| a child learn to read is one of the greatest gifts that | | | | Read to your own children Fostering a love |
| you can give and goes a long way to securing for | | | | for reading in your own children is the best way to |
| them a brighter future. | | | | start the fight against illiteracy. Children who love to |
| The Importance of Reading | | | | read are happier and more well-rounded and will pass |
| We have all heard that reading is important, but very | | | | on this love to their peers. So pack away the TV |
| few of us actually know why. Besides that fact that | | | | games for the festive season and fill those stockings |
| most illiterate people struggle to find jobs or manage | | | | with books. |
| everyday activities, reading actually plays a vital role | | | | Charities that Focus on Reading |
| in all areas of human development. Each stage of a | | | | Many of us don't have the time to volunteer, |
| child's development is interlinked, for example a | | | | especially over the busy festive season. But this |
| hungry child is incapable of concentrating long enough | | | | doesn't have to mean that you cannot help in the |
| to learn, while a child that cannot learn also struggles | | | | fight against illiteracy. There are many charities out |
| to socialise. | | | | there that are doing amazing work with regards to |
| Studies show that it is vital that reading is part of a | | | | reading and education. Breadline Africa is one such |
| child's life even from infancy. Reading to a baby | | | | charity. This grant-making organisation funds the |
| facilitates a bond between the parent and child and | | | | following charities: |
| significantly aids in early brain development, helping to | | | | Biblionef South Africa donates books to libraries, |
| ensure that a well-rounded child develops. Children | | | | schools and mobile libraries across South Africa and |
| who are read to early on in life also find it much | | | | Lesotho. This African charity ensures that books are |
| easier to grasp the phonetics of languages later on, | | | | available in all 11 languages as well as Braille and gives |
| making it much easier for them to learn and | | | | millions of children access to an imaginative world that |
| significantly increases their linguistic skills. | | | | they would never have had otherwise. |
| Later on in life, when children begin to read | | | | Ubuntu Self-Help Education Centre is located in the |
| themselves, the actual physical act of reading can | | | | Limpopo province and provides training and resources |
| greatly improve their development. Turning the pages | | | | for teachers in the area. Confident, well-prepared |
| of a book can fine tune motor skills while reading | | | | teachers can better teach their learners and instil a |
| stimulates eye muscles as well as the brain. Studies | | | | love for reading in them. |
| have also shown that a child's inclination and attitude | | | | EDUTAK is also in the Limpopo province and |
| towards education is formulated early on through | | | | educates women about early childhood education and |
| their peers and immediate surroundings. By being | | | | entrepreneurial skills. This not only helps these women |
| exposed to reading in a positive way early on, | | | | to help themselves and find work, breaking the chain |
| children are pre-disposed to want to learn, making | | | | of poverty, but also allows them to understand the |
| the educational process much easier and more | | | | importance of reading for childhood development. |
| successful. | | | | They can then pass this knowledge on to assist in |
| The Situation in Africa | | | | the creation of a culture of reading in their own |
| UNESCO does annual surveys and in 2008 concluded | | | | communities. |
| that nearly 774 million people worldwide are illiterate. | | | | Ikhayalethemba Project is based in Hout Bay in the |
| This means that roughly one out of five adults in the | | | | Western Cape and makes use of old containers to |
| world can neither read nor write. The situation is | | | | create colourful, safe crèches for children whose |
| worst in Africa with an estimated one in four adults | | | | parents are at work. Here these children are |
| still being illiterate. This not only limits them from | | | | stimulated and read to, helping them prepare for their |
| working and providing for their families, but also | | | | schooling and instilling in them a love for learning. |
| restricts their children from receiving the ideal start to | | | | The Simplest Way to Help |
| life in terms of reading, education and development. | | | | These are but a few of the charities currently |
| How Can You Teach a Child to Read? | | | | working to eradicate illiteracy in Africa and with so |
| While this all may make perfect sense, many people | | | | many to choose from it can be difficult to decide on |
| can't see how they can play a role in this process. It | | | | one to donate to. Donors often also worry that their |
| is impossible to enter every home and read to every | | | | money will actually reach people in need, but struggle |
| child nor can everyone afford to fund a child's entire | | | | to know how to verify the credentials of a charity. |
| education, but there are ways that, especially at | | | | Grant-making organisations like Breadline Africa can be |
| Christmas, you can make a small but significant | | | | the answer to this problem. Acting as a fundraiser |
| difference: | | | | and overseer, organisations like this provide funding |
| Volunteer your time Use some of your time | | | | to a variety of African charities, as well as checking |
| off over Christmas to read to infants and small | | | | that this money is used wisely and legitimately. This |
| children at an orphanage or public library. You will be | | | | allows donors to contribute to many different |
| touched at how grateful and enthusiastic they are. | | | | charities through one simple donation and gives them |
| Sharing your own love for reading is the ideal | | | | peace of mind that this money will indeed be used to |
| Christmas gift that never fades or breaks. | | | | make a difference in Africa. |
| Alternatively you can volunteer at an adult literacy | | | | |