Launched with the start of the new school year, Story Powered Schools is a pilot project enabled by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to bring Nal’ibali’s approach to literacy development to select rural schools. Identified by the Department of Basic Education as priorities for education interventions, the project will be working with a total of 720 schools in the Ugu and Uthukela districts in KwaZulu-Natal, and the Maluti and Bizana districts in the Eastern Cape over a three-year period.

“Stories and storytelling lie at the heart of children’s literacy development and while the Story Powered Schools project is an exciting way for Nal’ibali to expand its work with primary schools and unlock the potential of the learners who attend them, the support of community radio stations will enable us to reach directly into the homes of the communities we are working with; allowing, even more, children and families access to mother-tongue stories,” says Michael Cekiso, Story Powered Schools Project manager.

Stories, particularly when read or heard in home languages, help children to develop their language skills and imagination as well as their thinking and problem-solving skills. But not all South Africans have access to children’s books and stories, especially not in their mother tongue. Reports show that 51% of homes in South Africa don’t have access to leisure books and 85% of the population lives beyond the reach of a public library, making radio an invaluable medium for those in impoverished rural areas.

With the help of six supporting radio stations, access to this literacy building block will be opened up to the wider community in the Ugu, Uthukela, Bizana, and Maluti areas as the partners work together to establish a reading culture across South Africa.

“Radio is [a] great platform for us to help educate our children. Our aim at Radio Sunny South is to inform, educate, and to entertain. To us, it is a privilege to participate. We hope to play a huge role in improving the literacy skills of our children,” says Mbali Mbotho, programmes manager at Radio Sunny South, a participating radio station.

Additional supporting stations include Inkonjane FM, Good News Community Radio, Ugu Youth Radio, Radio Sunny South, Radio Khwezi, and Link FM.

Programming schedule:
  • Good News Community Radio: Wednesdays at 13:05;
  • Ugu Youth Radio: Thursdays at 19:05;
  • Radio Sunny South: Wednesday at 09:10;
  • Radio Khwezi: Saturdays between 08:00 and 09:00;
  • Inkonjane FM: Tuesday at 17:45 and Saturdays between 08:00 and 09:00; and
  • Link FM: Broadcasting from April only.

For more information, visit www.storypoweredschools.org. Alternatively, connect with them on Facebook.