The Franschhoek Literary Festival Schools Programme kicked off before the Franschhoek Literary Festival that took place in Franschhoek last week. Over the past 15 years, Franschhoek Reading, an initiative of the Franschhoek Literary Festival (FLF), made a significant investment in four primary schools in the Franschhoek area. From May 15-19 May the reading promotion was curated by the FLF Team and facilitated by the library facilitators at each school.
Franschhoek Reading had several objectives, including encouraging young people to use libraries, strengthening their appreciation for books and reading, increasing awareness of the joys of reading, exposing children to activities that promote a love of words, stories, and books, and transferring skills amongst educators and library facilitators.
Elitha van der Sandt, Franschhoek Literary Festival Director, commented, “It was an opportunity to connect learners to words, songs, play, and stories in a fun, non-intimidating way. One could not simply give a child a book and say it’s important to read. We needed to make them fall in love with words and stories. And where did they find these? In books.”
The Franschhoek Literary Festival Schools Programme, with the support of Franschhoek Reading, emphasized the crucial role of reading in the lives of young children. Through their investment and dedication, they fostered a love for literature that will continue to impact the children’s lives.
