In 2014, South Africans helped us read aloud to 50 000 children. In 2015, you helped us reach 166 360 children. And in 2016, thanks to parents, teachers, librarians, family members and hundreds of readers, we read to 365 849 children – more than double our previous number and an astounding record for Nal’ibali and South Africa!

The power in partners

This year, we joined forces with the Princess of Africa, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, and the Orlando Pirates to spread the power of stories across South Africa. Raising her voice to read aloud and encourage fellow South Africans to join her, Yvonne gave her own special reading in isiZulu to children at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, together with players from the Orlando Pirates Football Club!

Pledging partners, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal Departments of Basic Education, Rotary District 9350, love Life Nongoma, Family Literacy Project and Zisize Ingwavuma Educational Trust, rose to the challenge and launched Nal’ibali reading clubs at schools in their provinces. In addition, over 160 supporting partners in six provinces held read-alouds, while Bargain Books distributed special World Read Aloud Day story cards to customers in its Centurion, Heidelberg, Richards Bay, Welkom and Willowbridge stores. We were also supported by Blind SA and Sign Language Education and Development (SLED), as well as a multitude of our radio partners across the country!

In addition, we received constant interaction and engagement from South Africans who shared their amazing World Read Aloud Day experience with us: