In honour of Nelson Mandela International Day, employees from Novus Holdings volunteered their time to cover reading books in plastic, which are being donated to Grade 2 and 3 school learners across 45 schools in Mitchells Plain in the Western Cape.
This was an initiative in partnership with Read to Rise, a non-profit organisation committed to promoting literacy in schools in South Africa’s disadvantaged communities.
Endorsed by the Department of Basic Education (DBE), Read to Rise currently supports learners in Mitchells Plain and Soweto through a three-component programme that includes a book ownership programme, mini-libraries and class visits.
Novus Holdings decided to join forces with Read and Rise on Mandela Day as it directly aligns with the Group’s primary CSI initiative, Future Foundations, which aims to build strong foundations for future growth by focusing on education, skills development, and community engagement.
‘We are proud to have partnered with an inspirational organisation such as Read to Rise to make a positive change. By promoting reading amongst our youth, we help create a literate and educated society, which in turn uplifts our communities for the better,’ said Peter Metcalfe, group executive of sales and marketing at Novus Holdings.
The books sponsored by Novus Holdings form part of Read to Rise’s high-quality and colourful Oaky-book series which includes age appropriate, educational and life-lesson orientated reading material. Learners are given these books to keep, thereby encouraging them to read not just at school but at home and with family and friends.
‘We are grateful for the support we have received from Novus Holdings. These books will bring smiles to many learners’ faces. At Read to Rise we firmly believe that children need to read in order to ‘rise’ in their personal development and contribution to society,’ said Taryn Lock, co-founder and executive director at Read to Rise.
