GROWING THE LOVE FOR STORIES & READING

Nal'ibali, in collaboration with Tokai and Westlake libraries, recently hosted the second creative writing session in preparation for the Library & Information Services Mysterious Box Junior Writing Libraries. The competition, which allows students aged 9 to 13 to showcase their writing skills, ends on August 8th, and the winners will be announced on September 6th. Seven Grade 6 students from Westlake Primary School and eight Grades 3-5 students from Bright Light Montessori in Tokai used mystery box prompts to stimulate ideas, build characters, and shape their stories, with the help of the Nal'ibali team. Supporting young writers when they are first starting out can provide a strong basis for them to develop and flourish as they grow up and progress in their personal, academic, and professional lives. Nal'ibali supports young writers by increasing access to reading materials, giving them mentorship, and creating platforms to share their writing. #stories #africanstories #africanstorytelling #Africanlanguages #storytelling #YoungStorytellers

WATCH our Young Nal'ibali Storytellers share the story "The Boy Who Wanted More" in South African Sign Language. Enjoy! Nal'ibali incorporates South African Sign Language (SASL) to promote inclusivity and literacy for deaf children. We collaborate with organizations like Sled - Sign Language Education and Development and Dominican School for Deaf Children to translate stories and activities into SASL, ensuring every child can access stories in their mother tongue. Find more stories told by our Young Nal'ibali Storytellers on the Nal'ibali YouTube channel on the link in the bio. #SASL #SouthAfricanSignLanguage #signlanguage #inclusionmatters #inclusivity

How well do you know your Nal'ibali characters? Tell us the name of the Nal'ibali mascot in the pictures in the comments section. Find stories to read with the children in your life on the Nal'ibali website. #Nalibali #Storytelling #education #Stories #Africanstories #childrensstories #africanchildrensstories

Anesipho Bubana, a former Nal'ibali - @socialemploymentfund Literacy Project 3 - Literacy Facilitator in Mqanduli, Eastern Cape, shared this powerful impact story with us. Nal'ibali taught me how to bring stories to life. When I first joined Nal’ibali, I was a shy person. I never imagined myself standing in front of people and speaking. Even reading stories to children with confidence was something I thought would never happen. Deep inside, I knew I struggled with confidence and self-esteem. But I also made a promise to myself that I would learn, no matter how hard it felt. During the training, I clearly remember how nervous I was. The facilitator asked us to role-play a story session, reading aloud as if we were reading to children. When it was my turn, my heart raced. I was unsure about myself, but I thought, let me try. As I read the story, I didn’t feel confident at all, but then I looked up and saw the facilitator smiling at me. That smile gave me the courage I needed to keep going. I started to believe that I could actually do this. When I finally started working with children, it was initially scary, but I knew I had to do it. And with every story I read and every session I led, I felt more confident. The children listened to me. They respected me. They laughed, asked questions, and participated. Every time they engaged with me, I felt prouder of myself. Now I can stand in front of anyone and speak without fear, not only children but even parents. My self-esteem is high, and I feel capable of handling any job. The way I read and tell stories now is so different from when I first started. Back then, I would just read. Now, I bring stories to life. I use actions, change my voice, engage with the children, and connect with them. I am no longer just someone who reads stories; I am a storyteller. And that’s all because of the opportunity Nal’ibali gave me. Find Nal'ibali impact stories similar to Anesipho's on our YouTube channel on the link in the bio. #Nalibali #stories #education #literacy #childrensstories #education #readingmaterials #accesstobooks