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.