South African non-profit literacy organisation help2read is inviting you back to school to help a child learn to read through its #MyReadingHelper campaign.
Volunteers play a crucial role in providing one-on-one reading support to struggling pupils.
help2read’s volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds, however, they all recognise that as a literate adult, they can make a difference by volunteering their time to give the gift of reading to a child.
The organisation has launched its #MyReadingHelper campaign, a video series that showcases the relationship that is created when a committed help2read volunteer meets regularly with a child to help them learn to read.
The literacy intervention programmes are run at primary schools.
Volunteers meet with pupils twice a week throughout the school year. Last year more than 2 000 pupils from schools around the Western Cape and Gauteng enrolled in help2read’s reading help programme.
However, the need to more than double this number calls for even more. Volunteers need to be willing to commit to assisting a pupil (or two or three) for at least half an hour twice a week throughout the school year.
The impact that a volunteer reading helper has extends beyond one life, but goes on to impact a community and the nation.
Simply put, helping a child learn to read unlocks the power and potential the country needs to thrive. Anyone who is able to read and has some time to give has the power to transform the life of a child, a community and a nation.
At the start of a new school year, help2read is inviting you to sign up as a reading helper and give your gift of reading to a child in need.
* Call 021 930 3669 or visit www.help2read.org/volunteer
