Keeping kids'stories alive

Children's author Lorato Trok is determined to ensure African languages live on through stories, chapter books and grassroots literacy initiatives

- Rolland Simpi Motaung

To preserve and promote home languages is necessary for maintaining cultural heritage and identity.

Apart from the school setting, books, music and films serve as ways to preserve and promote home languages for young and old.

Community engagement initiatives such, as reading campaigns and literary festivals, also play a vital role in promoting home languages especially among children.

"For us, it's all about children reading in their home languages and it is really a no-brainer. I don't know why our country is not getting to it because we know that it works," says children's book author and executive director of Nal'ibali, Lorato Trok.

Trok, who took up the reins in May last year, explained that Nal'ibali is South Africa's largest reading-for-enjoyment campaign to spark children's potential through storytelling and reading, with a national footprint in homes, schools, early childhood development (ECD) centres, and deep rural areas. She adds that Nal'ibali provides resources like books, reading club starter packs to encourage children to read in their home languages, recognising the importance of this foundation.

"So, when we get into schools and homes, we tell children stories, oral stories and also read for them in their home languages because and give them books and our supplement as they also need to see print," she says.

She adds that Nal'ibali provides resources like books and storytelling to encourage children to read in their home languages, in recognising the importance of this foundation.

"So, when we get into schools and homes, we tell children stories, oral stories, and also read for them in their home languages, because they also need to see print," Trok syas.