Siyafunda Workshop

Kim Hunter
Sep 7, 2017
2 min read

Approximate Reading Time: 3 minutes

Photographs from the event on Facebook

How many of us are actually doing SOMETHING, anything, to lift the literacy rate in our country? How many of us think about the number of people who do not have access to books? How many of us are trying to do something to change this?

The purpose of this event was to highlight the work that Siyafunda Donate-a-Book has already done and continues to do but more importantly, to get feedback and input to find ways to improve on what they are doing. Several important issues were raised:

- Unqualified teachers are trying to teach children to read

- For many and varied reasons, there is a lack of enthusiasm in many teachers

- the laziness of some teachers with the attitude of 'I get paid whether I achieve or not' or 'My work hours are X to Y and I don't have to do more'

- Adults (parents and care-givers) who could be reading to children either cannot read themselves or who don't take the time because they have the attitude of 'my child is in school and that's what teachers are paid to do'

These issues will be assessed to try and find ways to change them. After all, it is likely that each of us can identify at least one teacher from our school days who had such an impact that we still remember them today.

I so admire Nontokozo and the effort and enthusiasm he has for this project. He set up a not-for-profit, non-government organisation (The Web Foundation) with the specific aim of getting books to those who need them. This project has a successful history and Nontokozo believes that with collaboration it can be better and do more. He is willing to put in the effort - are YOU willing to contribute?

It is not always money which makes the most significance in a person's life - it is more often time that makes the greatest impact.