The years between now and 2030 are critical for building Africa's human capital.
Investing in youth, selected as the African Union's main focus in 2017, is imperative and needs to be complemented by an equally strong emphasis on investing in children to establish the strongest foundation for Africa's future.
Recycling of uk books to Africa through uk based publishers and uk schools
Literacy and upskilling of young people in their education; accelerating reading ages so children can access the local primary school curriculum and develop a love of reading for life
Funding and stocking of libraries in African schools that can continue to be maintained independently by the schools;
Successful transition of primary children with secondary ready reading skills to secondary curriculum
Working with local Africa based partners (to name) so that our projects are effectively sustained over time.
Training and accreditation of local librarians so they gain local employment and contribute to local economies as well as strengthening education in local schools
As a charity devoted to literacy, it’s important to us that children can make real progress in reading without the restrictions of formal – and often expensive – reading schemes. With this in mind, we are trialling a programme of accelerated reading.
With literacy at the forefront of our thinking, the establishment of libraries in our partner countries was a natural step forward. In these dedicated book havens, children at last have the fun of picking out a story and settling down to read.
Access to books is only part of the story for children in Africa's schools, where books are often seen as tools for exam preparation. To instil a genuine and lifelong love of reading, we launched our reading club programme in 2017.
"This improved reading ability is highly likely to also result in improved overall academic ability, further demonstrating the value of these structured reading groups.
— School Aid Malawi Reading Group Report 2017/2018
Children and young people who find enjoyment in reading are 5 times as likely to read above their expected age level compared to those who don't!
Volunteers at our award-winning charity
"School Aid is like a family," says Cherie, "I’ve made new friends...and I really enjoy being part of the team"