The FunDza Literacy Trust (a not-for-profit organization) is hosting our first ever National Mobi-read-a-thon running from 2-21 December. Young people all over South Africa will be encouraged to “Read to Win”. They will sign up to Mxit on their cellphones; join our mobi-library portal; read a gripping short story and answer three short questions to stand in line to win their share of over R20 000 in prizes
But the real winner is South Africa! FunDza works to revolutionise reading in South Africa by breaking down the barriers that stop young people reading for pleasure. These barriers center around content – there is a dearth of stories that reflect the lives of young South Africans today; access – books are too expensive and libraries are non-existent or non-functioning; and simply – that reading isn’t seen to be ‘cool’.
FunDza commissions gripping, high-interest stories that center on issues faced by South Africans between the ages of 14 and 25. We publish new home-grown stories on our mobi-network each week, ensuring that almost all South Africans can access the content via Mxit on their “ordinary” cellphones – no smart phones required! And, by encouraging comments and engagement with the stories, FunDza is ‘growing a community of readers’ with already 350,000 registered readers. Between 4,000 and 20,000 visit, read and comment on the stories on a daily basis. You can visit FunDza’s mobi library here: http://www.fundza.mobi
“This was the best story I’ve ever read, specially one from a phone. I’ve just explored this part of Mxit yesterday and I’m not looking back. I am looking forward to more stories soon.” Lunga – a university student
The benefits of reading fiction are numerous and well documented: it develops imagination, insight, empathy, critical thinking, the understanding of cause and effect and logical progression. It also develops vocabulary and a general mastery of the language. Research is also showing just how much reading for pleasure impacts on learners (one study estimated that learners who read for pleasure regularly are at least one year ahead of their peers in skills across the board).
Thanks to the support of Media24’s ’Space to Grow‘ initiative, FunDza is in a position to advertise the Mobi-read-a-thon across national publications including; City Press, Daily Sun, Sunday Sun, Drum, Move and Real magazines ensuring that thousands of young people will be made aware of the competition and more importantly our mobi-library. Mxit has also agreed to promote the competition to its more than 9.3-million registered users. RLabs have provided technical support to run the competition and Michalsons Attorneys is auditing the promotional competition.
Prizes have been sponsored by Pick n Pay, KFC, Cover2Cover, Penguin, NoMu, Drum, Juta and Vodacom.
FunDza really has started a Reading Revolution!
If you would like to support FunDza and find out about our other programmes please visit http://www.fundza.co.za or contact info@fundza.co.za.
This is a fantastic idea! Well done Fudza and keep up the good work of promoting reading for pleasure.
I would encourage other African countries to replicate this competition in their countries so that we can develop a strong continental reading culture wave to counter the technology storm that has almost eroded creativity in our children.