The 1 000 beneficiaries of the 2025 Avbob Road to Literacy campaign were announced at an event at the Sandton Hotel in Johannesburg on Thursday 29 May.
The campaign, in collaboration with Oxford University Press South Africa (OUPSA), is a nationwide trolley-library initiative that continues to improve access to books across South Africa, with a focus on schools and non-profit organisations (NPOs). It seeks to address ongoing challenges of low literacy and numeracy levels at foundation phase by providing young learners with culturally- and linguistically-relevant materials in all 11 official written languages.
This year’s campaign reflects substantial growth from the 180 library trolleys distributed in its inaugural year, 2022. Each of the 1 000 mobile library includes 500 OUPSA books selected to support literacy and numeracy skills in alignment with the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS), the national curriculum for South African schools. The total number of books distributed this year will exceed 500 000, up from 250 000 in 2024.
Speaking on a panel, which included Carl van der Riet, CEO of the AVBOB Group, Karen Simpson, MD of OUPSA, Gugu Ndebele, Executive Director of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls, Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube remarked: “This initiative is a powerful example of what can be achieved through partnerships. The campaign addresses a pressing national priority, the development of foundational literacy and numeracy, in line with policy frameworks aimed at integrating diversity into school curricula. It does so in a way that honours South Africa’s linguistic and cultural richness, ensuring no child is left behind.”
Simpson added that the partnership reflects the organisation’s core belief that literacy is a foundation for lifelong learning and opportunity. “Access to books in a learner’s mother tongue has a profound impact on their ability to grasp foundational concepts, stay engaged in the classroom and remain in the education system. We are steadfast on publishing our books in all of South Africa’s official written languages, and the AVBOB Road to Literacy campaign enables us to place these resources directly in the hands of the learners who need them most.”
Each trolley library is valued at R57 000, bringing the total investment for the 2025 campaign to R57 million. The trolleys are designed to be mobile, durable and easy to access in shared or under-resourced learning environments. Along with books that promote reading for enjoyment, they include materials designed to develop numeracy, making the campaign one of the few national projects focused on both reading and mathematics at the foundational phase.
The campaign also continues to grow in reach and engagement. This year’s campaign received 8 661 nominations from across all nine provinces, submitted by educators, caregivers, community leaders and members of the public.
Van der Riet said although the campaign had grown substantially its original purpose was to provide access to quality education materials, dignity and hope for a better future. “Literacy and numeracy are academic skills and critical tools for participation, for opportunity, and dignity,” he said.
He added that AVBOB, as a mutual society, exists for the benefit of its members and the wider community. “At AVBOB, giving back to communities is more than a commitment; it’s a core part of who we are. We remain deeply guided by our founders’ promise of always putting people first, a principle that continues to be the golden thread in everything we do. Through the AVBOB Road to Literacy campaign we aim to support under-served communities in a way that uplifts and empowers them, while respecting their dignity and fostering lasting impact.”
Adding to this sentiment Ndebele said: “We believe education is the most powerful tool for changing a learners’ future. Literacy unlocks confidence, agency and opportunity. We are inspired by this initiative’s focus, and we hope it will ignite a lifelong love of reading in every child who encounters one of these trolley libraries.”
Since 2022 the campaign has evolved from a pilot initiative into one of the most extensive mobile library programmes in the country. Educational experts have long advocated for mother-tongue instruction at early stages of schooling. Research has consistently shown that when children learn to read in their home language they are more likely to stay at school, perform better academically and transition successfully to additional languages later in life.
Despite this, access to books in African languages remains limited, especially in underfunded schools. The Road to Literacy campaign helps address this gap, ensuring the joy of reading and the practical foundation of numeracy are not restricted by geography or circumstance.
