Friday, September 12, 2014

Thank you letter from Nokuphila School


Hi Taryn,

Thank you so much for the generous donation of books  as well as taking the time to read to the children. It was truly appreciated. I had some learners in my office very early this morning talking about what they had done with their books last night and re-naming the structure of a plant. I asked them if they had read the book and one little girl said she had not and seemed quite upset about it. I asked her why and she said that her sister, a little older than her, saw the book, got interested in it and hogged the book for the rest of the night J

With much gratitude,

Michelle Peters

Principal

New books to 3930 learners!

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Singing the READ to RISE song at Cascade Primary School 21 August 2014


The READ to RISE team visited Cascade Primary School in Eastridge, Mitchells Plain on Thursday 21 August 2014.

Thanks to the team Roscoe, Aaron, Kevin and Taryn! Copies of OAKY AND THE SUN were given to each of the 140 Grade 2 learners and 3 Mini-Libraries were given to the classes. We hope that we brought some "light" to these wonderful children. The school doesn't have a school library and the classes don't have electricity due to stolen cables. These books and Mini-Libraries were sponsored in memory of the late Gaspar da Silva Cardoso, who loved books.

Below is a clip of Programme Director, Taryn Lock, singing the READ to RISE song with the learners :)

Post by Read to Rise.

Thursday, August 14, 2014

International Youth Day 12 August 2014

It was International Youth Day on Tuesday 12 August 2014. This year the theme was Mental Health.

The READ to RISE Volunteer Readers Mike and Anel had two sessions will children at Beacon School in Westridge, Mitchells Plain. They read to 80 learners. The children at this school are learners with special education needs. We also donated 10 books to their school library. Thank you to Nooidgedacht Pers, Sappi, Alpha Graphics and Shumani Mills for sponsoring the books.






 Photos courtesy of Mike Kendrick.

 Photos courtesy of Taryn Lock

Sunday, July 27, 2014

M&G Top 200 Young South Africans 2014

By Taryn Lock

It is really such an honour to be named as one of the Mail & Guardian's Top 200 Young South Africans in 2014 who are inspiring others by what they create and not just buy what they say.


On Friday, 25 July 2014, it was announced that I was one of the 18 people having an impact in civil society.

I co-founded READ to RISE in 2013 with my husband, Athol Williams. I had decided to leave the corporate world and focus on youth literacy in poor communities. Literacy is a big problem in certain communities - some children have never owned a book before, some teachers are illiterate and some schools don't have good relevant books for children to read. I strongly believe that it all starts with being able to read -  once you can read, you can be educated and then the world is your oyster.

It is wonderful to be recognised for the work that I can doing at READ to RISE. As Programme Director, I organise books for learners, I arrange the school visits and get Volunteer Readers to visit these schools. I am also responsible for marketing (social media, newletters, website, logo design, etc.). I also assist with fundraising. My days are filled with various activities, from designing posters for class lessons and writing thank you letters to sponsors to visiting schools and dealing with printing companies. I love what I do, it seems I work harder now that when I worked in corporate :)  I feel that I am making a difference in society and there is nothing more rewarding that seeing the smiles on the children's faces when they get their books or getting a big hug from them!

This recognition has inspired me to keep doing what I am doing and even try harder! :)


Friday, July 25, 2014

READ to RISE Co-Founder and Programme Director, Taryn Lock, named one of M&G's 200 Young South Africans 2014


On Friday, 25 July 2014, Mail & Guardian named their 200 Young South Africans for 2014.

READ to RISE Co-Founder and Programme Director, Taryn Lock, was named one of these 200 individuals for her contribution to civil society. Well done to Taryn!

The annual Mail & Guardian 200 Young South Africans list recognises “the 200 young people who inspire us by what they create, not by what they say.”  

Read the article here:  http://ysa2014.mg.co.za/taryn-lock/

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

In loving memory of Gaspar da Silva Cardoso


A generous donation has been made in loving memory of Gaspar da Silva Cardoso. He lived for educating, uplifting and healping others to make better lives for themselves.

In his honour, 20 Grade 2 classrooms will receive a Mini-Library and a new book will be given to 800 Grade 2 learners in Mitchells Plain.

May his legacy live on!

Monday, June 2, 2014

Meet the Founders of READ to RISE - A dynamic husband and wife team doing great things for communities in South Africa


Husband and wife team, Athol Williams and Taryn Lock, started READ to RISE in September 2013. Their non-profit organisation promotes literacy among youth in poor communities. To date, they have distributed 2000 new books to learners in Mitchells Plain - Athol's hometown in the Western Cape.

Both Athol and Taryn have always had a passion for reading and education. 

Taryn has a BSc Honours degree in Mathematics from the University of the Witwatersrand and she has worked in financial services as a Business Strategist. She has also tutored English to foreign immigrants in the USA. Athol has degrees from Wits, MIT, LBS and Harvard. He is a poet philosopher who has extensive business experience and is very involved in the Education sector in the Western Cape.

This dynamic husband and wife team know no limits when it comes to doing the impossible. They discovered that a big challenge at schools was that they did not have access to high quality reading books and that children were not reading enough so Athol and Taryn decided to do something about it. They have invested a lot of their own money and time in the organisation. One of the books that READ to RISE distributes was written by Athol and illustrated by Taryn. Their book "Oaky and the Sun" is a brightly illustrated children's book about an acorn who is trying to find direction and purpose in his life. The book was published by a publishing company Theart Press which the couple started and they have forfeited all royalties, with all proceeds going towards READ to RISE.

Athol's brothers Nicholas and Roscoe, who also attended schools in Mitchells Plain, are also involved in the organisation. READ to RISE not only drops off books at schools, they arrange volunteers readers (who come from all walks of life from around Caoe Town) to visit the school and read with the children and discuss the book.

Athol and Taryn's determination to make a difference in children's lives is admirable and will hopefully continue to inspire others to also give back to their communities.




Promoting youth literacy


Monday, May 26, 2014

Reading... opens your mind to endless possibilities!


Mini-Libraries coming along!

So our Mini-Libraries are coming nicely along. They have been manufactured and painted by Training Workshop Unlimited in Mitchells Plain.





The books for the Mini-Libraries have also arrived. We will place 45 new, government-approved reading books in each Mini-Library. Due to the demographics of Mitchells Plain, there is a variety of English, Afrikaans and Xhosa books. On average there are about 40 children in a class.


Tuesday, April 29, 2014

April 2014 Newsletter

Click here to download our latest newsletter:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2_xaLx4ojUtYUpneFd0UFpQUWs/edit


Friday, April 25, 2014

The Mini-Libraries are currently being made

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

The 2000 books have arrived!

READ to RISE would like to thank the following sponsors for their generous donation to print 2,000 Oaky and the Sun books for us to distribute to Grade 2 learners in Mitchells Plain.

Plates supplied by Alpha Graphics
Paper supplied by Sappi
Printing by Die Nooitgedacht Pers
Binding by Mills Litho


For many, this will be the very first book that they will own. We thank our sponsors on behalf of all these children! Am so looking forward to seeing the children's smiles when we hand out these books next month.


Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Sponsor new books for a Grade 2 class in Mitchells Plain

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Our new READ to RISE Classroom Mini-Libraries are looking great!


Here they are, our Classroom Mini-Libraries! We hope to put a Mini-Library in each Grade 2 classroom in Mitchells Plain this year.

If you or your employer would like to sponsor one or more Mini-Libraries @R3,200 each, please contact taryn@readtorise.co.za.

Each Mini-Library consists of 45 new, high quality, government-approved reading books.

A child should read about 40 books per year. In Mitchells Plain, children currently read about 2 books a year.

These bookshelves are handmade by the Training Workshop Unlimited in Mitchells Plain, who train diasble individuals to make wooden furniture.

Please support this worthy cause and help these children read and rise!

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

READ to RISE will visit all 46 Primary Schools in Mitchells Plain in 2014 to distribute books

Monday, February 3, 2014

Volunteer to read to children!

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Good luck to the learners for 2014!

Saturday, January 11, 2014

Go to where the bright light shines! - AE Ballakisten

Buy a copy of Oaky and the Sun now!