- Taryn Lock
- Mar 17
- 2 min read
On 20 February 2026, READ to RISE launched its new Early Childhood Development (ECD) Class Programme at 3 Bears Educare in Portlands, Mitchells Plain, Cape Town. 175 children received a new book OAKY BAKES A CAKE, which is the latest addition in the OAKY Series of 10 books. The centre also received a Mini-Library with 50 new story books appropriate for 0-6 years.
Thanks to the Tshikululu Trust, READ to RISE will be working with 2,000 children at 40 ECDs in 2026 (30 in Mitchells Plain and 10 in Soweto). Each ECD will be receiving a Mini-Library with 50 new books and the READ to RISE team will be conduct two Class Programmes at each ECD in 2026 – so each child will receive two new books.
Sadly, in South Africa, according to the latest Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) report, 81% of Grade 4 learners in South African cannot read for meaning. The latest Department of Basic Education and UNICEF South Africa Study revealed that 43% of households in South Africa have zero access to books. The 2023 National Reading Survey, found that two-thirds of homes with children under age ten do not have a single children’s book, and only 10% have more than ten books. This means most South African children arrive at school without important early home learning experiences.
READ to RISE hopes to instil a love of reading in children through its interactive class programmes, book ownership and mini-libraries. READ to RISE currently works with 16,000 Grade 2-3 learners at 57 primary schools in Mitchells Plain and Soweto. ‘We are excited to partner with the Tshikululu Trust so that we can work offer our class programmes to ECDs in under-resourced communities – reading is the first step towards getting a good education, the earlier children love to read and have access to books the better.’ says READ to RISE Executive Director, Taryn Lock.
OAKY BAKES A CAKE is the first wordless book in the OAKY series aimed at children 0-6 years old. The book is about an acorn named Oaky who gets help from his sister, Oaket, to bake a cake. It is a fun story for children starting their reading journey. The OAKY Series is written by award-winning South African poet and academic, Athol Williams, and illustrated by Taryn Lock.
Wordless books are picture-driven narratives that tell stories entirely through illustrations, they promote literacy, critical thinking, and creativity, allowing children of all ages and language abilities to create their own stories. These books are ideal for developing comprehension, vocabulary, and visual literacy skills.
Teacher Mia Sickle said the book will benefit children who struggle with reading words. “This book will help many children with picture reading. It is useful for children who struggle with words and taking them back to picture reading supports all age groups and encourages imagination,” she said.
READ to RISE, founded in 2013, is a non-profit organisation that promotes youth literacy in under-resourced communities in South Africa. We hope to inspire children to read so that they can ‘rise’ above their circumstances. To date, READ to RISE has given out over 390,000 new story books. For more information, please visit www.readtorise.co.za or email info@readtorise.co.za
