M h lophe s new Braille books mark literacy project milestone
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Sowetan Monday September 13 2021 News 3 Mhlophe’s new Braille books mark literacy project milestone Nozincwadi campaign celebrates its 20th year By Patience Bambalele Storyteller and author Gcina Mhlophe celebrated 20 years of promoting literacy and the culture of reading in SA schools through the launch of two books in Braille on Saturday. The book launch, which was held at Bluff showgrounds in Durban, was part of Mhlophe’s literacy campaign celebration called Nozincwadi – The Mother of Books. The books were put together through the help of the South African Library for the Blind. According to the 63-year-old, who is also an actor and playwright, the launch was part of the Novel Book Storytelling Festival. She said celebrating the 20-year an- niversary was a big milestone for the Noz- incwadi campaign, which started small in 2001. “We are happy and humbled by the fact that the campaign has been running for 20 years. When we started in 2001, we did not know it would even last beyond two years. It has continued through the years, thanks to our partners and people who do- nated their family libraries to us,” said Mhlophe. “We presented the two books at the Nov- el Book Storytelling Festival, and the re- sponse was amazing. These books mean a lot to me. Through running the campaign I have met many blind people who could do amazing things. Working on these books opened my mind. “I challenge people who claimed to be able to be open to people with disabilities. I know we don ’t treat them kindly but we can learn a lot from them even though we ordinary people think we don ’t have a disability.” The Nozincwadi literacy campaign was named after Mhlophe’s great-grandmoth- er who loved collecting books as well as newspapers and kept them though she could barely read or write. Mhlophe said in her quest to teach the culture of reading she named the cam- paign after a woman who believed books can breathe magic into a human being. Through Nozincwadi, she and her team have donated millions of books to different schools in all nine provinces in SA. “Though the box that kept my great- grandmother’s books and papers was thrown away, I felt I needed to continue with her legacy. “We have travelled all over SA with the team. We donated books according to the province ’s main languages. For example, when we donated in the Eastern Cape, we donated Xhosa, Afrikaans and English books. When we get there, we normally read for the children, perform and they also read for us in return.” Four years ago Mhlophe and her part- ners began doing extreme makeovers of school libraries and buildings, some of which did not have libraries. Her upcoming project is the library she wants to build at a school for the deaf in Chatsworth, Durban. Storyteller and author Gcina Mhlophe with Nobantu Mfeka. SUPPLIED
Transcript of M h lophe s new Braille books mark literacy project milestone
Sowetan Monday September 13 2 02 1 News 3
M h lophe’s new Braillebooks mark literacyproject milestoneNozincwadi campaigncelebrates its 20th year
By Patience Bambalele
Storyteller and author Gcina Mhlophecelebrated 20 years of promoting literacyand the culture of reading in SA schoolsthrough the launch of two books in Brailleon Saturday.
The book launch, which was held atBluff showgrounds in Durban, was part ofM h lop he’s literacy campaign celebrationcalled Nozincwadi – The Mother of Books.The books were put together through thehelp of the South African Library for theB l i nd .
According to the 63-year-old, who is alsoan actor and playwright, the launch waspart of the Novel Book Storytelling Festival.
She said celebrating the 20-year an-niversary was a big milestone for the Noz-incwadi campaign, which started small in
20 0 1.“We are happy and humbled by the fact
that the campaign has been running for20 years. When we started in 2001, we didnot know it would even last beyond twoyears. It has continued through the years,thanks to our partners and people who do-nated their family libraries to us,” s aidM h lop he.
“We presented the two books at the Nov-el Book Storytelling Festival, and the re-sponse was amazing. These books mean alot to me. Through running the campaignI have met many blind people who coulddo amazing things. Working on thesebooks opened my mind.
“I challenge people who claimed to be ableto be open to people with disabilities. I knowwe don’t treat them kindly but we can learna lot from them even though we ordinarypeople think we don’t have a disability.”
The Nozincwadi literacy campaign wasnamed after Mhlophe’s great-grandmoth-er who loved collecting books as well asnewspapers and kept them though she
could barely read or write.Mhlophe said in her quest to teach the
culture of reading she named the cam-paign after a woman who believed bookscan breathe magic into a human being.Through Nozincwadi, she and her teamhave donated millions of books to differentschools in all nine provinces in SA.
“Though the box that kept my great-grandmo ther’s books and papers wasthrown away, I felt I needed to continuewith her legacy.
“We have travelled all over SA with theteam. We donated books according to theprov i nce’s main languages. For example,when we donated in the Eastern Cape, wedonated Xhosa, Afrikaans and Englishbooks. When we get there, we normallyread for the children, perform and they alsoread for us in return.”
Four years ago Mhlophe and her part-ners began doing extreme makeovers ofschool libraries and buildings, some ofwhich did not have libraries.
Her upcoming project is the library shewants to build at a school for the deaf inChatsworth, Durban.
Storyteller and author Gcina Mhlophewith Nobantu Mfeka. S U P P L I E D
