Nal’ibali (isiXhosa for “here’s the story”) is a national reading-for-enjoyment campaign to spark children’s potential through storytelling and reading. Children who are immersed in great and well-told stories – and in languages they understand – become inspired and are motivated to learn to read for themselves. Such personally rewarding learning is a recipe for successful literacy development. Nal’ibali is driven by PRAESA (the Project for the Study of Alternative Education), Times Media and a growing number of partners. Through sustained mentoring and collaboration with communities, reading clubs, literacy organisations and volunteers of all ages, as well as a vibrant media campaign, Nal’ibali is helping to root a culture of literacy into the fabric of everyday life in South Africa.

1. Introducing the
Nal’ibali
reading-for-
enjoyment
campaign
PRAESA
September 2013
South Africa

2. For today…

3. • Most children in SA have to learn in a language they don’t understand yet – and that teachers don't know well.
• Most children have to learn to read without ever having cuddled up to hear a story in the arms of someone
who loves them.
• Most schools do not have a library and when they do, these are barely equipped.
• There is almost no written South African children’s literature in African languages.
• Grade 3 learners performed at an average of 35% in literacy and 28% in numeracy in a recent national study
(SA: Dept of Basic Education Annual National Assessments 2011).
We have a literacy crisis in South Africa

4. Nal’ibali (“Here’s the story” in isiXhosa) is a
national reading-for-enjoyment campaign aimed
at sparking children’s potential through
storytelling and reading.
Who are we?
Launched in 2012 by The Project for the Study of Alternative Education
in South Africa (PRAESA) in collaboration with Times Media.

5. SUPPLY
AND CONNECT
Goal # 4
SUPPORT AND
SUSTAIN
Goal # 3
INFORM AND
GUIDE
Goal # 2
What do we do?
Initiate, support and
help sustain reading
clubs as a literacy
promotion strategy
Connect people in
South Africa with a
range of appropriate
material for children
in all South African
languages
Goal # 1
CREATE
AWARENESS
Create national
awareness of the link
between reading for
enjoyment and
educational
achievement
Inform and guide
individuals &
organisations on how
to use reading for
enjoyment for
children’s literacy
development

6. Motivate through stories
We believe stories are as important
for literacy development as the
more technical aspects of learning
to sound or spell out words, write
neatly and do grammar.
Multifaceted & intergenerational
Nal’ibali combines a multi-media campaign with
face-to-face programmes to promote and support
the role of caregivers, volunteers and communities
to root the habit of reading and writing into
children’s daily lives.
Multilingual
Nal’ibali promotes and
supports reading in both
children’s home languages
AND English.
Oral and written storytelling
We affirm the value of both oral and written
stories because children who are immersed in
great and well-told stories develop a rich
storehouse of language, imagination and
vocabulary – and are more motivated to read.
What make us unique?
We’re not just another literacy campaign…

7. We’re about reading for enjoyment
(not just reading!)
“Young people who do not enjoy
reading, who do not read very often
and who, perhaps as a result, do not
have good attitudes towards reading
are more likely to miss out on the
benefits, including better skills and
better life opportunities.”

8. READING
SUCCESS!
Selecting what
you want to read
Lots of choice
Guided by well-
read others
Forming habits
More reading
Conversations
about books
Deeper
knowledge of
language and
stories
Interest
Excitement
Imagination
Inspiration
Regular
opportunities
Why reading for enjoyment?
READING
BEHAVIOUR
READING
ATTITUDES
READING FOR
ENJOYMENT

9. How are we doing this?
Nal’ibali is made up of three core components:
National awareness
and advocacy
campaign
to inform, inspire
and equip
MEDIA
CAMPAIGN
Multilingual stories
and resources for
parents, caregivers,
volunteers and
reading clubs
MATERIAL
DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAMMES
A national network of
face-to-face mentoring,
training & support
driving reading clubs
and reading for
enjoyment in
communities

10. Sparking children’s potential through
storytelling and reading.
Linking significance and power of stories with realising children’s potential
POTENTIAL ASPIRATION CONNECTION
Phase 1: Print communications 2012
Campaign messaging

11. Sparking children’s potential through
storytelling and reading.
Phase 2: “READ TO ME” Jan - Sept 2013
The TIMING of reading: Never
too early, never too late!
The ONGOING nature of
reading: Again, again!
The EXPERIENCE of
reading: Explore a story!
Linking significance and power of stories with realising children’s potential

12. Sparking children’s potential through
storytelling and reading.
• A series of columns by popular personalities, authors and literacy experts
Nal’ibali ‘Here’s the story’ Columns
• Weekly in the Daily Dispatch and PE Herald
• Monthly in The Times & Sowetan
• Promoting the value of reading and sharing stories to help realise children’s potential
Contributors include:
John van de Ruit ● Shaka Sisulu ● Niki Daly ● Elinor Sisulu ● Dawn Garisch ● William Gumede ● Faith Mangope

13. Sparking children’s potential through
storytelling and reading.
Bilingual Reading-for-Enjoyment
Supplements
In partnership with Times Media, we
produce bilingual reading-for-enjoyment
supplements during term time that:
• Model (rather than preach) good language and literacy
practices
• Respond to need for story material for children in SA
languages
• Equip caregivers with concrete what-to-do ideas
• Inspire achievability: the adult reader needs to be left with
the feeling that, ‘Hey, I can do this!’
“Love your reading guide for our kids. My son Rahul is enjoying
the articles launched in our PE Herald paper on Thursday.
Thanks so much” - Colleen Bawjee, Facebook

14. Sparking children’s potential through
storytelling and reading.
WESTERN CAPE
NORTHERN CAPE
NORTH WEST
FREE STATE
LIMPOPO
GAUTENG
EASTERN CAPE
KWAZULU
NATAL
MPUMALANGAA
B C
D
E
Gauteng: Every Wednesday in
The Sowetan, English/IsiZulu
A
Free State: Every Wednesday in
The Sowetan, English/Sesotho
(additional distribution in Afrikaans)
B
KZN: Every Wednesday in
The Sowetan, English/IsiZuluC
Eastern Cape: Every Tues in
The Dispatch & Thurs in
The Herald, English/IsiXhosa
D
Western Cape: Every Wednesday in
The Times, English/IsiXhosa
(additional distribution in Afrikaans
E

15. Sparking children’s potential through
storytelling and reading.
At a glance: June 2012 - June 2013
editions
37 issues delivered weekly
direct to schools, reading
clubs and literacy NGOs
and programmes
28707 issues inserted
into Times Media
titles each week
(during term time)
supplements
produced in
total
10million
“Thanks Nal'ibali for the cut-out stories. My son is making
books, and is owning them. His reading skills are
improving fast” - Lulamile Mzamo, Facebook
217000

16. Sparking children’s potential through
storytelling and reading.
www.nalibali.org
• Reading and storytelling tips
• Reading club advice
• Recommended reading lists by age,
theme and language
• Stories in various SA languages
• Literacy blogs
• Downloadable checklists and tip
sheets in 6 SA languages
• Online registration
• Monthly eNewsletter
• Responsive design to fit to any
screen, incl. feature phone
“Been going through your website......I'm downloading all
your books for my own book club.....I am going to be
using your materials. Thank you guys!!! - Bongisa Nkuzo

17. Sparking children’s potential through
storytelling and reading.
www.nalibali.mobi
• Mobile support and story provision
through the Nal’ibali mobisite
• Designed to work on feature and smart
phones
• Stories available in 6 SA languages
• Mobile sign-up to the Nal’ibali network
• Reading club and literacy tips –
anywhere, anytime.
“I just read two stories from Nal'ibali's mobisite to my
son Naanda in hospital. He has a fever that won't break
and has been struggling to sleep. Now he is fast asleep.
Thanks Nal'ibali.” - Lulamile Mzamo, Facebook

18. Sparking children’s potential through
storytelling and reading.
Mobile partnerships and platforms
Nal’ibali
Mxit App
Nal’ibali stories
on WorldReader

19. Sparking children’s potential through
storytelling and reading.
In partnership with SABC Education
• Children’s stories broadcast on SABC public
radio stations.
• Air three times a week in all 11 official languages.
• Using the power of oral storytelling as vital tool in
literacy development.
• Through the stations, we reach a potential
audience of 2.3 million listeners.

20. Sparking children’s potential through
storytelling and reading.
• Promotional banners run across the
following Kagiso digital platforms:
• MSN South Africa and Africa
• Skype
• Jacaranda, East Coast Radio
Kagiso Media
• Monthly story in the Jet Club magazine
• 4.254m readers
• Free online story cards in isiXhosa & isiZulu
• Online book giveaways
• Literacy feature articles
Jet Club
Nal’ibali Media Partners

21. Sparking children’s potential through
storytelling and reading.
Nal’ibali Media Partners
• Book giveaways with kids’ meals in
500 outlets
• 36 300 book packs donated in 2013
• In-store activity sheets
• In-store magazine for parents and
children
• Meal vouchers for Story Stars
• Stories promoted on the Wimpy
Feed Your Mind website

22. Sparking children’s potential through
storytelling and reading.
Nal’ibali’s media campaign is supported by a national
programme of face-to-face mentoring and support to:
Nal’ibali Programmes
INSPIRE
READING CLUB
START UP
Translate awareness
into action by inspiring
the start up of reading
clubs and reading-for-
enjoyment practices
in homes &
communities
TRAINING
AND
DEMONSTRATIONS
Offer reading-for-
enjoyment training
workshops and
reading club demos
SUPPORT
READING
CLUBS
Drive a network of
reading clubs
ENGAGE
WITH
COMMUNITIES
Deepen engagement
with the Nal’ibali
campaign through
events, parent action
groups

23. Sparking children’s potential through
storytelling and reading.
Programme
Model
Parent action
groups
Training:
Reading-for
Enjoyment
workshops for
Cluster Mentors,
Partners and the
general public
Nal’ibali Cluster
Mentors and
Story Sparkers
Network of
reading clubs run
by supported
reading club
leaders,
volunteers,
schools, libraries
and partner
organizations
Nal’ibali
+ Host
Partners

24. Sparking children’s potential through
storytelling and reading.
Nal’ibali Cluster Mentors
In each province, a Nal’ibali Cluster Mentor works with
a team of up to 3 Story Sparkers to:
• Enlist and support reading club
leaders to run reading clubs
• Encourage community members to
form parent action groups
• Conduct workshops to demonstrate
and support reading-for-enjoyment
good practice
• Create a regional/local Nal’ibali
presence through community
activities and event s on the ground

25. Sparking children’s potential through
storytelling and reading.
Nal’ibali Training Workshops
• How children learn
• Why and how to start and run reading clubs
• Why storytelling is so important and powerful – how to tell stories
• How to encourage and support reading and writing in children of all ages
• Learning about different kinds of books and stories
• Rhymes, songs, stories and games as foundations for literacy learning
• Finding and choosing appropriate books and stories
Practical and interactive workshops that cover all
aspects of reading for enjoyment:

26. Sparking children’s potential through
storytelling and reading.
• It’s a relaxed environment. Nobody is forced to come. It’s something you
choose to do.
• It’s a place where people meet regularly to read & tell stories with
children.
• They also do other fun activities related to stories and books, like paired
reading, drama.
• Anyone can be involved: toddlers, children, teens, grandparents,
volunteers, caregivers.
• Some clubs are big with up to 50 children; others are smaller, where
adults host small reading groups with 5-6 children
What is a Reading Club?

27. Sparking children’s potential through
storytelling and reading.
Overview of Nal’ibali Reading Clubs
WESTERN CAPE
NORTHERN CAPE
NORTH WEST
FREE STATE
LIMPOPO
GAUTENG
EASTERN CAPE
KWAZULU
NATAL
MPUMALANGAA
B C
E
D
Gauteng: 16 clubs – Garankuwa, Attridgeville,
Etwatwa, Thembisa, Evaton North, Lakeside,
Sebokeng, Vlaakfontein, Moroka, Pimville,
Westonaria, Alexandra
A
Free State: 14 clubs – RocklandsB
KZN: 31 clubs – Mpendle, Nongoma and
UnderbergC
Eastern Cape: 12 clubs – Uitenhage, Port
Elizabeth, GrahamstownE
Limpopo: 22 clubs – Jane FurseF
Western Cape: 26 clubs – Khayelitsha,
Nyanga, Mitchell's Plain, Driftsands,
Tafelsig, Eastridge, Westridge, Brown's
farm, Oceanview, Masiphumelele, Lower
Crossroads, Barrydale
D
F

28. Sparking children’s potential through
storytelling and reading.
Nal’ibali Programme Partners

29. Sparking children’s potential through
storytelling and reading.
BOOK PACKS
• In partnership with Biblionef, willing donors
and publishers, book packs are being
distributed to the Nal’ibali demonstration
reading club sites.
• In 2012, we delivered 1 096 books to research sites
and reading clubs.
READING MATERIAL
• We are also working Little Hands Trust and
publishers to create and translate relevant,
good-quality reading materials for children in
African languages as well as English.
Nal’ibali Materials
Reading and writing for enjoyment requires regular supplies
of storybooks and other resources in appropriate languages.

30. Sparking children’s potential through
storytelling and reading.
SUPPLEMENTS
AND STORIES
• In 2012, through
our supplements
we produced:
• 41 bilingual cut-
out-and-keep
books
• 18 other
bilingual stories
• 43 articles on
reading and
writing with
children
TRAINING MANUALS,
TIP SHEETS,
LITERACY GUIDES
• PRAESA produces and
translates the following
informational
resources:
• Reading-for-enjoyment
training notes
• Reading Club Starter
and Booster Packs
• A take-home guide to
reading for enjoyment
with Wimpy
• Tip sheets and
checklists in 6 SA
languages
Nal’ibali Resources

31. Sparking children’s potential through
storytelling and reading.
IKHIWILI ELEMENTARY, EASTERN CAPE
• Increased interaction between the children themselves
• “The older children’s confidence has soared through
children who want to hear stories read to them by the
‘clever students’.” – Principal Sisilana
Nal’ibali Success Stories
ROTARY GONUBIE, EASTERN CAPE
• Have delivered 6 000 Nal’ibali supplements to
several rural and special schools in the eastern
half of the Eastern Cape.
• “We deliver 400 every two weeks and have seen
how the kids make their books. It’s working.” –
John Jansen, Rotary Gonubie

32. Sparking children’s potential through
storytelling and reading.
THE FAMILY LITERACY PROJECT, KwaZulu-Natal
• Run 20 Nal'ibali reading clubs in deep rural KZN
• “The children in the clubs read these books together in the
session, and then take them home to read with their families,” –
Lynn Stefano, FLP
Nal’ibali Success Stories
WESTONARIA LIBRARY SERVICES, GAUTENG
• Have started three reading clubs.
• Started Simunye reading club (at Simunye Library)
with 14 children.
• Grew to 82 registered members within 6 weeks.
• "Thank you Nal’ibali who provide the supplements weekly
enabling us to host this Programme,” – Righard le Roux,
Westonaria Programmes Librarian

33. Sparking children’s potential through
storytelling and reading.
“The kids we work with through
Inkwenkwezi Society love everything
about your stories; cutting them out,
folding them up, reading them together,
and then taking them home to share
with their family,” – Nathalia von Witt
“We as foundation phase educators
want to thank you for your excellent
resources. Most of our learners do
not own storybooks and this is such a
treat for them.” – E.L Jacobs, Head of
Department, Laerskool Venterspost
“I visited your website
and felt encouraged to
go an extra-mile. Keep
up the great work.” –
Cosmas Marodza
“Have found Nal’ibali a
valuable tool to get the
children I work with to read
– easy language used
children can relate to.” –
Zandile Milanjana

34. THANK YOU
info@nalibali.org
www.nalibali.org
www.nalibali.mobi
nalibaliSA