ABCA books awarded as prizes for reading challenge at Dlala Nje - Ponte Building

Andrea Wainer, ABCA South Africa volunteer:

I discovered Dlala Nje when Lauren and I went there to donate ABCA books a few years ago. Dlala Nje is an oasis, a homework and aftercare centre providing a safe space for children who live in the Ponte building or in the surrounding neighbourhoods of Hillbrow and Berea. I have been going to the centre for some time now, to help with homework and other activities planned by the two women who run the centre.

As I am passionate about children reading, we initiated a reading challenge to encourage the children to develop good reading habits. We sourced donations of chocolates and stationery as prizes for the first two rounds of the challenge, but I really wanted to give those who qualified in the third round one or two books as prizes, especially as most of these children don’t have any books at home. I was very unsuccessful in sourcing books, until ABCA came to our rescue and donated enough books for each child to receive two books of their very own! What excitement when I told the recipients that they could write their names in the books because they didn't have to return them - they are theirs!

Thank you so much for, once again, uplifting and changing children's lives.

November 2023