“Reading books and stories can change lives”
FunDza Literacy Trust from South Africa is the winner of the Joy of Reading Award and 10.000 dollars. The money will help even more young people to experience life in the world of books and stories, the Head of the Project Mignon Hardie explains.
14 June 2017
What was your reaction when you were told you were the winner?
“There were whoops of delight when we announced it at the staff meeting. We are so excited to be selected as the winner of the Joy of Reading Award – and for many reasons. Perhaps most importantly, we love the name of the award. We believe that this is the key to developing literacy, and it speaks directly to FunDza's underlying philosophy and modus operandi. We want to uncover the joy of reading for young South Africans - to make it fun to read stories and books, to speak to young people's hearts through stories, and to inspire and connect with others. For the past six years, FunDza has been dedicated to growing a culture of reading - and writing too - among teens and young adults. This is the first time that we have received an award, and it is a great honour to be recognised for our work through a global platform. We are deeply appreciative, and we want to thank the jury and the organisers of the award.”
Tell me a little about FunDza. What is the most important to tell?
“We believe that reading books and stories can change lives, particularly when the stories speak to the experience of the readers and illuminate their world. Many young people in South Africa - through unequal access to quality education and reading resources - have never had the opportunity to develop a love of reading. We are trying to change that by bringing books and stories into 'spaces' that are easily accessible (such as cell phones), and by commissioning and creating stories that speak to the lives of many of our readers. We also encourage our readers to practice their writing skills and get their voices heard. We want to build up their confidence and writing skills, so that they have the courage to send us their work, which can be published online later on. We can see that is becoming an increasingly vital part of our work.”
What has been your most valuable lesson working with FunDza?
“Our readers have taught us so much. While research points to the impact of reading for pleasure on the lives of young people, we have been able to witness the impact through the stories of our readers and their feedback on what the access to FunDza has meant to them. We have learned that there is a deep hunger for stories that particularly reflect the lives of our readers. Many readers say, after their access to FunDza, that they have discovered the joy of reading, and that they want to read more. They describe how reading helps them to relax, or helps them to cope with their lives. Some have even written that FunDza’s stories have helped finding solutions to their personal issues or dilemmas."
Why is the fight against illiteracy important?
“The ability to read with understanding is the cornerstone of education. It opens up the door to future learning, personal development, and professional advancement, and it allows for social and economic mobility. In South Africa, this is particularly important. Those who suffer most from lower literacy levels are more likely to be poor and disadvantaged due to the legacy of Apartheid. Low functional literacy equates to continued exclusion from the education system. Without adequate education, it becomes harder to find meaningful employment. Thus, the cycle of poverty and inequality continues.
While we are focused on the problems of illiteracy in South Africa, this is truly a global problem too. Those with lower levels of literacy continue to be marginalised. This has an impact on employment, healthcare, education, and life in general."
What difference do you think the Joy of Reading Award will make for FunDza?
“We are hoping that the award will help us to shine a light on our work and methods to encourage reading and writing for pleasure in South Africa. We also hope it will help us to acquire more partnerships that will enable us to improve our work and increase our scale and impact.”
How are you planning to spend the money?
“We would like the money to help us expanding our reach. Currently, we are reaching around 100,000 unique readers per month on our online fundza.mobi platform. We would like to grow this even further. To this end, we plan to run a reading campaign in September to promote the fundza.mobi platform and encourage readers to the joy of reading for pleasure to their friends and family."
