GEORGE NEWS - The 2025 Avbob Road to Literacy campaign announced its 1 000 beneficiaries of trolley libraries at an event at the Sandton Hotel in Johannesburg on 29 May.
The campaign, run in collaboration with Oxford University Press South Africa (Oupsa), aims to improve access to books in schools and non-profit organisations across South Africa.
The project addresses the ongoing challenges of low literacy and numeracy levels at foundation phase by providing culturally and linguistically relevant materials to young learners in all 11 official written languages.
Research has consistently shown that when children learn to read in their home language, they are more likely to stay in school, perform better academically and transition successfully to additional languages later in life.
Campaign success
Each of the 1 000 mobile libraries includes 500 Oupsa books selected to support literacy and numeracy skills in alignment with the Caps curriculum. The campaign has evolved from a pilot initiative into one of the most extensive mobile library programmes in the country.
In its inaugural year, 2022, 180 library trolleys were distributed. This year, the total number of books distributed will exceed 500 000.
Each trolley library is valued at R57 000, bringing the total investment for the 2025 campaign to R57m.
The trolleys are designed to be mobile, durable and easy to access.
Panel discussion
During a panel discussion at the announcement, Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube said the campaign addresses the pressing national priority of developing foundational literacy and numeracy, while supporting policy frameworks to integrate diversity into school curricula.
“It does so in a way that honours South Africa’s linguistic and cultural richness, ensuring that no child is left behind,” she said.
Karen Simpson, the MD of Oupsa, said access to books in a learner’s mother tongue has a profound impact on their ability to grasp foundational concepts, stay engaged in the classroom and remain in the education system.
“We are steadfast on publishing our books in all of South Africa’s official written languages, and the Avbob Road to Literacy campaign enables us to place these resources directly in the hands of the learners who need them most.”
The CEO of the Avbob Group, Carl van der Riet, said literacy and numeracy are critical tools for participation, opportunity and dignity.
“We remain deeply guided by our founders’ promise of always putting people first ... [and through this campaign we] aim to support underserved communities in a way that uplifts and empowers them, while respecting their dignity and fostering lasting impact.”
The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls’ executive director, Gugu Ndebele, said the academy believes that education is the most powerful tool for changing a learner’s future.
“Literacy unlocks confidence, agency and opportunity. We ... hope [this initiative] will ignite a lifelong love of reading in every child who encounters one of these trolley libraries.”
The bottom line
While access to books in African languages remains limited, especially in underfunded schools, the Road to Literacy campaign helps address this gap across geography or circumstantial challenges, contributing to the joy of reading and the practical foundation of numeracy.
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