EXPRESS READ: IT STARTED WITH A GIFT

In a country where 80% of 10-year-olds can’t read for meaning, a thoughtful gift from Mary (right) to her colleague Zolisa (left) has helped two streets of children in Khayelitsha township experience the joy of books | Photo: Ronelle de Villiers

Zolisa Bunguza (55) grew up in the Eastern Cape, raised with her five siblings by aunts and her grandmother, a domestic worker. She studied speech and drama at the University of Cape Town (UCT) and for the past eight years has been the receptionist at UCT’s Graduate School of Business (GSB). She has two adult children and a grandson, and lives in Cape Town’s Khayelitsha township

When I told my colleague Mary that my daughter had a little son called Sesam, she bought me a book called The Very Hungry Caterpillar to read to him.

My grandson loved that book from day one. Although he’s under two, it taught him that a book tells a story, and now he often gets a book and asks me to read to him even though he can’t speak properly yet!

I invited two boys from next door for a reading and they loved it too. The word spread and now every weekend I read to 30 children from my street and the next one. Each session lasts two hours but feels short. They’re so hungry to learn.

Two streets of children now turn up on Saturdays and Sundays to hear their neighbour Zolisa read stories. ‘They’re so hungry to learn,’ she says | Photo: Ronelle de Villiers

Some couldn’t read at first. Now they compete to show off their skills. Hlalumi, a boy who couldn’t read before, recently read me a whole book!

There’s an emotional benefit too. Many parents get home late and don’t have time to read to their kids. The children love the attention I can give them. When I was unwell recently, I got out of bed and found them waiting in my lounge for a story!

Mary and colleagues helped me get a corner bookshelf, and other colleagues sponsored around 150 books. It’s wonderful. Mary even made me a library-card system to track the books. I’ve now had offers of help from a neighbour, four GSB colleagues and a lady with whom I travel to work!

I’ve met children aged 12 and even older who can’t read, and wish all South African children could discover the joy of reading. It exposes them to new worlds, building language, imagination, empathy and how to handle life’s challenges.

Jesus is my hope in life. In 2010 I had a stroke and couldn’t walk properly, wash or talk. But I spoke to God and told Him there was no way I could die without raising my children to take care of themselves. I believe that, thanks to Him, I was able to walk and talk within months.

His love for me motivates me to love others. I grew up in a two-bedroom home with my grandmother and ten cousins and siblings. Sometimes we’d share two slices of bread between us, and I loved the noise and chaos of it all. I’m so grateful to be here with a beautiful life and these kids. Helping them overwhelms me with joy.”

Sesam,  his grandmother Zolisa and a very hungry caterpillar share a special moment 🙂 | Photo: Ronelle de Villiers

Mary Lister (63), daughter of a land surveyor and teacher, grew up in Zimbabwe and majored in cultural history at UCT. She’s been a librarian for 40 years, 14 of them at the GSB. She has two adult children and lives in Claremont

I remember reading to my children even as teenagers. It was a lovely family time of sharing stories. But, in South Africa, many parents leave early for work and return late without the time or energy to read to their children. The stats are scary: 80% of our 10-year-olds can’t read for meaning.

It’s fantastic that Zolisa has helped her grandson’s understanding of words grow, and how this has spilled out to her community. Reading expands imagination and creativity, and gives children language for their feelings.

I encourage everyone to ask employees, such as domestic workers, about their childcare situation, and whether their children have access to books.

If you do give a child a book, make it age-appropriate, not just something you’re clearing out. If feasible, new books are best as they show that you respect and value the person you’re giving them to. I’d recommend one slightly above their reading level to stretch them. Then keep encouraging them: you’ll find it’s a joy and blessing that flows in both directions as you start to appreciate the deeper relationship that forms.

‘The blessing of enabling a child to read extends in both directions,’ says Mary | Photos: Ronelle de Villiers

You can also encourage numeracy with aids like bottle tops. I showed Zolisa how to use these for adding, subtracting and colour grouping. The learning is invaluable.

I hope Zolisa’s reading group snowballs further. We just need to do what we can, stay open-hearted and trust in the difference it will make.

I believe God often stirs us to make that difference, to have those ‘serendipitous’ conversations that aren’t actually chance at all.” ♦

A GSB student donated cushions for the reading-club children to sit on instead of a cold floor, and Mary’s daughter is covering them with fabric sourced from charity shops. ‘We just need to do the small bit we can,’ says Mary. ‘Keep our eyes and hearts open, and trust it will make a difference.’

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