Former secretary-general of the UN Kofi Annan once said: “Literacy is a bridge from misery to hope. It is the road to human progress and the means through which every man, woman and child can realise his or her full potential.’’ Yet, for millions of SA children, that bridge seems inaccessible.

While the literacy crisis in the country continues, many experts agree that learning to read in one’s mother tongue can help combat this issue. According to early literacy specialist, author and translator Xolisa Guzula, “research shows that children learn better when they are grounded in their mother tongue’’.

However, what worsens the problem is that most children only have access to books that are not in their home languages. Only 2% of children’s books published commercially in SA are in local African languages. In a country where about eight out of 10 people speak a home language other than English, creating relatable stories in indigenous languages is critical if we hope to improve childhood literacy.

Cadbury Dairy Milk has been a brand steeped in the spirit of generosity and pioneering social impact. Cadbury remains committed to its mission of igniting a love for reading in the next generation by making homegrown stories more accessible in their home language.

The Homegrown Stories initiative is the latest step in a long-term social mission to grow, co-author, distribute and inspire relatable children’s stories in all 11 official SA languages. Last year, Cadbury Dairy Milk asked the public to translate words into their mother tongue. A team of young local authors then weaved these words into exciting new stories.

To date, more than 500 stories have been translated and made available for download from the Cadbury digital library, with an additional 45,000 books printed and distributed directly to the children who needed them the most.

SA is a nation of natural storytellers, crafted through our shared experiences and diversity. This year, Cadbury is encouraging South Africans to tap into their innate storytelling abilities and, by using their everyday interests and experiences as inspiration, share a homegrown story in their home language.

“Cadbury has a goal to increase the number of homegrown stories, available in all local African languages, to 1,000 by the end of the year. What better way to advance this mission than by bringing South Africans from all walks of life together to participate in a collective labour of love,” says Lara Sidersky, Mondelez SA category lead for chocolate.

“A small, generous act of sharing a story can create lasting impact on a child’s life. An authentic story can encourage a child to want to read more, which can open new worlds and introduce opportunities for the next generation. By sharing our homegrown stories, we are hoping to create a space where our children can see themselves reflected in the books that shape their childhood.”

Telling our own stories

Representation and resonance are important aspects in the literacy journey. When children can see themselves reflected in stories, it aids comprehension and encourages enjoyment of the reading journey, which  promotes a culture of reading.

Professional storyteller and author Baeletsi Tsatsi says: “By telling relatable stories to our children, we give them a sense of their place in the world and let them know that they matter and their experiences matter. If we want children to fall in love with reading and themselves, it is paramount they see themselves in the stories they read, and this is a beautiful way to do that.”

“The importance of children being able to relate to the stories we tell them cannot be overstated when it comes to developing a love for reading. Nurturing the enjoyment of reading also puts a child at an advantage when they reach school-going age,” says Guzula. 

To amplify this enjoyment, Cadbury commissioned local illustrator Russel Abrahams, AKA Yay Abe, to incorporate his contemporary design style into creating engaging Cadbury Story Edition packs to launch the Homegrown Stories journey.

Creating impact through accessibility

Cadbury Dairy Milk has partnered with several like-minded organisations and distributors to ensure these stories reach all children, both physically and virtually, in languages they understand. Alongside community radio stations, which provide an ideal storytelling platform, Cadbury has partnered with Qualibooks, a leading provider of curriculum-based library and other educational resources to schools and communities.

Chris de Beer, a director at Qualibooks, says: “There is clearly a demand for literature in African languages that needs to be provided for. The number of stories being read after school via our KiBooks online platform clearly shows that Qualibooks is helping children develop a love for reading in their spare time. If the company can help cultivate that by providing them with more titles that speak to their lived experiences, there is no doubt we can do our bit to improve childhood literacy in this country.”

How South Africans can play a role

Cadbury Dairy Milk is asking the public to join them and help children fall in love with reading by sharing an authentic homegrown story.

Look out for the Cadbury Homegrown Story Edition packs for all the details on how to unlock your stories. Simply scan the QR code on the pack to open WhatsApp and follow the prompts to share a story in your home language either via voice notes, typing your story, or uploading a PDF. You can also visit the Cadbury digital library or see your story brought to life through the interactive augmented reality lens.

Visit cadbury.co.za and join the #CadburyHomeGrownStories conversation Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

This article was paid for by Cadbury.