Khula Funda Literacy Project

Driving Change through education

“Change is possible. We must focus on improving literacy and numeracy levels in the first four years of schooling. This must be programmatic, properly resourced, reach every teacher who needs it and have clear indicators for success in both implementation and outcomes” – Professor Mary Metcalfe

The Challenge

Most children in South Africa are not receiving the support they need to become eager, motivated and skilled readers. The 2016 National Reading Survey found that:

Only 4% of adults live in a home with more than 20 books.
Only 7% of South Africans check out books from libraries.
Only 15% of adults who live with children read aloud to them more than once a week.
78% of South African Grade 4 students cannot read for meaning in any language. This means they cannot retrieve an explicitly stated fact in a passage they just read.

Children who have access to books, who hear stories early and often, and who read for pleasure regularly – in languages they speak and understand – develop better literacy skills. They are better equipped to do well in all subjects, including maths. This is backed up by significant local and international research.

For example:

Children with at least 20 books at home are more likely to complete school and reach higher education. Books help the most when parents are not highly educated.

Reading aloud to children demonstrates how print works, and builds many skills, including vocabulary, grammar, focus and attention span, and communication. It also inspires children to learn to read.

Free voluntary reading, when children choose what they want to read, and read for enjoyment, improves all literacy skills, including reading ability, vocabulary, grammar, writing style and spelling.

Children are more motivated to read when adults respond to and encourage their efforts.

Our Approach

We commence our programmes at the primary school level because it is at this level that learners’ foundation in Maths and Literacy is rooted. Young people need to be prepared for learning and working in the 21st century. Fulfilling this need requires the development of digital literacy skills – both amongst learners and educators.

Educators are the stewards of education and vehicles for change. As such, we prefer interventions directed towards teachers. This focus will also embed sustainable transformations in schools.

Communities surrounding schools play a vital role in learners’ achievement in school. A critical programmatic assumption is that there is a need to include community members. Communities and community assets have a role to play in turning schools into centres of learning that embrace not only learners and educators but also the wider community.

We approached Nal’ibali to work with seven primary schools in Trevor Noah Foundation’s Khulani Schools Programme for a period of 1 year. The programme will support children’s literacy development through four key activities:

Place young people in schools (“Story Sparkers”) to drive fun reading activities in African languages and help schools build a culture of reading.
Supply classrooms with reading materials and distribute reading materials to learners, in their respective home languages and English.
Conduct training for foundation phase teachers and caregivers/family members, supported by digital tools.
Use media, campaigns and events to drive community engagement to support reading.

The Project In Action

Launched in 2022, this literacy intervention is a collaboration between The Nal’ibali Trust and the Trevor Noah Foundation’s Khulani Schools Programme (KSP). It targets seven schools in Braamfischerville, located in the southern part of greater Soweto, Gauteng. The initiative provides a holistic approach to literacy development, engaging learners, teachers, parents, and caregivers to cultivate a love of reading from an early age.

By fostering a conducive reading environment, the project helps nurture a lifelong passion for reading, with support from key partners, including the Gauteng Department of Basic Education (GDE), Diepkloof Community Radio Station (DKFM), and local community members.

Programme Overview

Target Group: In 2024, the programme aimed to reach 5,000 learners but currently serves 4,507 learners (2,316 boys and 2,191 girls) in the Foundation Phase.
Story Sparkers: Seven Story Sparkers are stationed across the schools to lead story sessions, supported by a Project Lead who coordinates activities, trains the Story Sparkers, and maintains partnerships.
Support Structure: The project is backed by Nal’ibali’s Special Projects Manager, Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) department, HR, Communications and Marketing, and Finance teams.

Project Activities

Youth Upskilling: Local youth are trained as Story Sparkers to lead story and reading sessions in participating schools.
Reading Materials: The program provides age-appropriate reading resources such as Nal’ibali newspaper supplements, anthologies, storybooks, and storyboards.
Creative Writing: Learners participate in creative writing workshops, while parents and caregivers are trained in reading and storytelling techniques to engage their children.
Teacher Training: Teachers were trained in 2023 and are now undergoing mentorship sessions to integrate these skills into their teaching practices.

Achievements

Reading Clubs: 593 foundation phase learners are actively participating in reading clubs across the seven schools. Despite initial challenges, including exams, May saw high attendance, with 205 foundation phase learners participating in holiday reading clubs.
Recognition of Impact: At Julius Sebolai Primary School’s Term 1 awards ceremony, children attending Nal’ibali Reading Clubs received numerous academic accolades, showcasing the intervention’s positive impact.
In-Classroom Support: All 4,507 children enrolled in the seven schools participate in Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) sessions. Story Sparkers, in collaboration with teachers, conducts four DEAR sessions daily, creating a structured and nurturing reading environment for learners.

This literacy project is paving the way for a brighter future by building a foundation of reading and storytelling and empowering learners, educators, and communities alike.