The Jakes Gerwel Foundation celebrated World Read Aloud Day in style in KwaNojoli!
The multitalented storyteller maestro, Dr. Gcina Mhlophe, was one of our esteemed guests. She inspired the Foundation’s group of reading assistants with new skills and tips to present reading to their learners in creative ways. We are grateful to NB Publishers, Little Issue Magazine and Nal’ibali for the books and reading material they provided for this celebration.
Dr. Gcina also visited one of our schools, Masiqaqambe Primary School, where she entertained the learners and teachers with her stories, songs, and dancing. “African children like to read!” is the song of Dr. Gcina now pleasantly stuck in our heads.
We are also thankful to Ongeziwe Nxokwana from DG Murray Trust who participated in the festivities, and we were delighted to have our founder, Mrs. Phoebe Gerwel, at Paulet House again! The Small Projects Foundation team – who feels like family – joined us to provide the learners with free eye tests.
Theo obtained his master’s degree in creative writing at Stellenbosch University. He has been involved with various projects in the arts before in his role as, among others, project manager of the Woordfees, advertising coordinator at NB Publishers, programme manager at the KKNK as well as at the Vrystaat Literature Festival and as executive director of the Breytenbach Centre in Wellington.
Theo is the author of two novels, Skool and Strafjaart.
