Biblionef’s experience since 1998 shows us that to work together with other organisations developing and supporting reading initiatives is a blueprint for success! This is why we are so pleased to be able to partner with the NMI (Nelson Mandela Institute for Education and Rural Development) in a project to donate books to 15 schools in the Mqanduli area of the Eastern Cape. Funding for the project comes from IBBY SA (International Board on Books for Young People South Africa) which is funded by the Yamada Apiculture Centre in Japan.

The NMI is creating ‘Magic Classroom’s’ which aim to create a magical kind of environment for learners, especially at the level of meaning making and creation. In these classrooms “the teachers start to see things they had never seen before; children don’t want to leave school at the end of the day and slowly but surely learners begin to read!”

Since 2009 72, highly successful, “magic classrooms” have been established in Qunu, Mqanduli and Bizana. The NMI trainers live and work with rural teachers and communities to build child-friendly text-rich primary school classrooms that promote reading, writing, expression and critical thinking.

Biblionef’s books are being donated to the Foundation Phase classes (Grade R to 3) from the 15 schools at the beginning of each term.  In addition to this, each school will also receive 90 books for their Intermediate Phase.   A total of 3750

books will be donated during 2014.

The first donation of Biblionef’s books was received by the teachers at the beginning of the January term. As you will see from the photo the books were eagerly received.