GROWING THE LOVE FOR STORIES & READING

Nelisiwe Tshabalala, a Nal'ibali- @trevornoahfoundation Literacy Project Story Sparker happily returned to Kliptown Primary School, Eldorado Park, Gauteng, earlier this month. Nelisiwe describes returning to the schools as feeling like coming home after having been away for months. "From the time I walked onto the school grounds, pupils asked with wide eyes, “Are you returning forever?” Their questions gave her a sense of hope and responsibility. “They had clearly been waiting for this moment as long as I had," she said. Nelisiwe, who has been part Nal'ibali-TNF Literacy Project team since March 2025, conducts read-aloud sessions and provides reading resources while connecting storytelling to the curriculum themes for Grades R-3 at the school. She supports teachers and parents in fostering a reading culture at home and in schools and equips reading club leaders with the skills needed to expand their clubs. What does Nelisiwe find most fulfilling about her work? Seeing children move from being listeners to becoming confident readers and storytellers. Read more about @gautengdepartmentofeducation's decision reinstate its partnership with Nal’ibali on the link in the bio. #TNF #nalibali #readingforenjoyment #storytelling #education #gautengdeptofeducation #dbe #education

Our Parent Engagement with our partners, Letsatsi Solar Park Trust, has empowered hundreds of parents from the Dealesville and Soutpan communities in the Free State province to take the lead in building a culture of reading at home. WATCH parent Nkosinathi Nofemele and Reading Club leader Katlego Bosaletse from Dealesville share how the programme has strengthened their bond with the children in their lives and inspired them to dream bigger. Find out how your organisation could partner with Nal'ibali in spreading a love of reading among children in South Africa on the link in the bio. #ReadingClubs #ParentingJourney #CommunityStories #Nalibali #communityengagement #stories #education #reading #readingforenjoyment

Minister of @dbe_za Siviwe Gwarube and Deputy Minister Dr. Reginah Mhaule both interacted with the Nal’ibali team and expressed their appreciation for Nal’ibali’s efforts in promoting quality foundational learning through Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) at the G20 Basic Education National Indaba 2025 which was held in Cape Town under the theme “Taking the G20 to the People" earlier today. The National Indaba for Advancing Quality Foundational Learning gathering follows a series of provincial indabas which were focused on priorities, including preparing teachers for tech-driven classrooms and navigating global mobility in education. WATCH the G20 Basic Education National Indaba 2025 on @dbe_za Youtube channel. #G20 #Nalibali #literacy #education #literacyinsouthafrica #storytelling #readingchildren #dbe #BasicEducationAndLiteracy #basiceducation

Earlier this year, we shared a story about young Nalibalian Cassidy Hendricks, a Grade 4 pupil at Ferndale Primary School in Cape Town and a proud member of the Nal'ibali Southfield Library, who has been making waves by winning literacy competitions, including the English First Language Grade 2 category at the SA Literacy Association's (SALA) Annual Reading Competition in 2023. Cassidy recently entered the SALA annual Reading Competition for English First Language Grade 4 in 2025 and advanced through the initial rounds, ultimately representing the Western Cape in the National Finals in September. Cassidy, whose pronunciation and reading skills have been sharpened by reading stories from the Nal'ibali supplement, is proof that providing children with the right resources and support can help them achieve remarkable success in their literacy journeys. Donate on the Nal'ibali website to support Nal'ibali's work in providing reading materials and support for South African children. #Literacy #education #nalibali #spellingbee #reading #readingforenjoyment #stories #africanstories #readingchildren #readingaloud #childrensstories #childrensactivities #literacyinsouthafrica