Having started with only four reading books the Loxion Library in Vrygrond now has more than 250 books and counting, and a safe space to improve child literacy in the community.
Library co-founder Okuhle Fentele says the idea for the mobile library came about during the initial stages of the national lockdown in 2020.
“When Covid-19 hit the country, schools were closed and many kids could not go to school. When that was happening our project manager and founder of this project, Litha Sam-Sam, was an intern teacher at Capricorn Primary School for the Life Matters organisation.
“He was assisting with reading when the school closed. During Covid-19 he saw children playing in parks and that’s where the idea came about to read to children in the park.”
Fentele was in Grade 12 at the time when she was asked to join the project.
“I was interested in the idea but was not able to join because I was still at school. And at that time, I was not living in Capricorn but in Khayelitsha.
“So, I would come here on weekends and holidays and when I finished my matric I applied at False Bay College. Since I was studying part-time, I could focus on this full-time.”
The pair went to parks and fields, taking library books along to read to children.
“We went to parks, street corners, fields and we set up a library space. We took books in a basket, a mat to sit on and then we sat in a circle. We read stories and asked questions, played games and the children enjoyed it.”
The idea to have a library space in Vrygrond soon followed.
“We thought there are many people using the park and we were sometimes disrupted. And if something had to happen to the kids while they are in our care, we would be responsible.”
She added another challenge was that young children followed them from one community to the next.
“We worked in different communities. We would be in Capricorn and then Seawinds and found that children would follow us which would be risky for them because they would have to make their own way back to Vrygrond. So we thought we need a space here. This space is safer and we can still be mobile and visit preschools and other organisations.”
The library was registered in 2021 and two more people have since joined the team.
“A lot of development has happened. We mostly focus on children aged three to seven years. When we started the organisation, we started with four books and now we have 250?books we received through donations.
“The parents of the children are supportive because we have also implemented a library card programme where children can’t enter without a card.”
She added that children get to read books and use their imagination.
“The program includes a library day where the kids can come, we give them books, allow them to read and then have literacy activities, play games, have fun and read a story. The space at the Community Centre in Vrygrond is safe and we can now work with all the preschools in Vrygrond.
Fentele says while they have books from three different languages more are needed.
“We have books in Xhosa, Afrikaans and English but would like more. We also need more volunteers and bookshelves and stationery.
“Most of the parents are unemployed.”
Co-founder Litha Sam-Sam says the aim is to improve the children’s vocabulary.
“Growing up in a community such as Vrygrond where there is high alcohol abuse and drug abuse these kids need something that can take them away from it.
“Our aim is to improve the children’s vocabulary and to give them the chance to better their imagination. So for me to invest my time in reading is super amazing,” he said.
