Rally to Read: No time to lose

The year may be only a few weeks old but the 2024 edition of Rally to Read, the primary schools upliftment programme in which the FM is an organising partner, if already running at full steam.

Rallies have taken place in Gauteng, the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, the Free State and the Eastern Cape, and more are on their way.

Much of South Africa may be in “holding mode” ahead of the election, but the national education crisis does not allow for even the slightest delay. Since 1998, Rally to Read has delivered learning resources and hope to hundreds of primary schools, thousands of teachers and hundreds of thousands of children.

For many years, the programme was directed exclusively at remote rural schools as they were most affected by national and provincial governments’ inability to provide even the most basic educational resources. More recently, we have added some township schools as it has become clear they are also victims of neglect.

Many Rally to Read corporate and private sponsors have supported it unfailingly for years — some since the very beginning. This is because they can see the result of their efforts. Schools are provided with portable classroom libraries, stationery, sports equipment and other goods. Teacher training is also part of the package. Sponsors personally deliver goods to schools, where they meet the children, families and communities they are helping. Each school is supported for three or four years, with fresh deliveries each year, and improvements in reading and writing skills are evident.

Indeed, independent assessments have shown that the literacy gap in Rally to Read schools is dramatically reduced by the programme, and many children previously unable to progress to high school are now able to continue their education, even to university level.

Visits to schools are joyful events, as children and their elders celebrate the occasions with song, dance and gratitude. Sponsors who join us on rallies are often overwhelmed by the experience. According to one who recently took part in the KwaZulu-Natal event: “Gratitude wells up within me as I reflect on the profound journey of delivering books, stationery and so on to schools in the rural areas. This humbling experience has reshaped my perspective, unveiling the resilience of communities often overlooked. “The passion and thirst for knowledge from these communities remind me never to take the gift of knowledge and life’s opportunities for granted. Witnessing the passion emanating from teachers, students and parents alike has been a source of inspiration. The collective hard work from everyone invested in this endeavour, from loading books on to trucks to the shared joy of opening a new chapter for these communities, has left an indelible impact in their lives.”

To become a sponsor or learn more about Rally to Read, visit www.rallytoread.org.za