By Lea-Anne Moses, Executive Director, and Trustee at Fundza Literacy Trust
When I was 10, my uncle gifted me a Reader’s Digest subscription, which was renewed annually until well into my 20s. If I’d listened to my friends, who thought it was the definition of uncool, all of those renewals probably wouldn’t have happened. That would’ve been a shame because those magazines sparked a love of reading, writing, and learning that later informed my decision to study journalism and explore how mobile technology enhances learning amongst TVET college youth.
Unfortunately, the same isn’t true for many young South Africans, especially those from marginalised communities. Whether it’s because of a lack of access, representation, or any number of issues, the sad truth is that 41% of South Africans own fewer than ten books. Of course, book ownership isn’t the only measure of literacy, but it’s worth noting that for many, even borrowing books from libraries can be challenging. The vast majority of government schools, for example, don’t have library facilities, and, in many provinces, public libraries serve populations magnitudes larger than they were designed to. That’s to say, nothing of the work still to be done to ensure that young people see themselves and their surroundings in the stories they read or make those books available in their mother tongues.
Given the very real benefits of reading, especially regarding young peoples’ self-expression (every good writer will tell you that they read voraciously), where should the youth turn for reading material? And, once they’ve become readers, how can we get them to write and own their stories? The answer may well lie in technology.
Technology as an enabler
Before taking an in-depth look at how technology can be used to enable reading, writing, and self-expression among young people, there are a few stats worth remembering. First, some 95% of South African adults have access to a mobile phone. Secondly, smartphone penetration in the country surpassed 90% a couple of years ago.
While those smartphone penetration rates might be distorted by people with multiple devices, and access is likely lower for young people who haven’t yet reached adulthood, the fact remains that it’s theoretically easier than ever for young people to access a world of written content. But even with that access, it still isn’t always easy for them to find literature they can relate to or platforms where aspiring young writers can express themselves.
At Fundza, we’re committed to providing a digital space that facilitates access to that content while providing them a platform to tell their stories. Since our founding, we’ve been on a mission to promote literacy and a love of reading among South African youth from marginalised and oppressed communities. We achieve this by providing access to a digital library of locally relevant books and publishing original content written by professionals and young South Africans.
As a result, we have over 3 million annual users who engage with our platforms as readers and writers. Some may have engaged in those activities anyway, but many wouldn’t. In our most recent annual reader survey, 53% of young people who use FunDza indicated that reading on fundza.mobi has greatly improved their writing skills. At the same time, 56% of fundza.mobi users stated that it had improved their language and reading skills. Therefore, they’re in a better position to own their stories and help others do so too.
A local approach to an international movement
Our work on this front isn’t just an attempt to address South Africa’s literacy challenges. The need for young people, especially those from marginalised groups, to see themselves in the stories they’re exposed to is increasingly recognised as important all around the globe.
One of the most visible manifestations of this is the #OwnVoices movement. Originating on Twitter in 2015, the movement aims to ensure that people can access books and stories that match their lived experiences.
The tagline, ‘What’s Your Story?’ embodies the #OwnVoices movement’s core values of amplifying diverse voices and promoting representation of marginalised communities. By encouraging young people to share their stories, we’re helping to create a more inclusive literary landscape where everyone’s experiences and perspectives are valued.
Our goal is to establish a connection that empowers young people to take ownership of their narratives and enable them to do so in the same manner as their ancestors. While our platform may not yet fall into South Africa’s rich oral storytelling heritage, the link is there.
As Lorato Trok, trustee of the Fundza Literacy Trust, notes:
“We may have lacked physical books and a local library, but these oral stories were good enough to make me understand the power of stories to a curious child. It instilled in me a love of stories, books and writing. My home was the original reading club before reading clubs were a thing in the townships without us knowing.”
Driving the kind of change we want to see
As South Africa grapples with low levels of literacy, it’s important to acknowledge that the country’s storytelling tradition is as strong as ever. Despite the challenges of creating a culture of reading, we must remember that stories have always been a fundamental part of our society. By providing young people access to relevant reading material and platforms that allow them to take ownership of their narratives, we can tap into that love of storytelling and turn it into a love of reading and writing. This may require a long-term investment, but the potential rewards for our nation’s future are immeasurable.