Ikusasa Decolonisation Libraries

The project establishes libraries in quintile one to three schools, it caters to the underfunded, to create a conducive reading space for learners in schools, would take form in storytelling, including various arts.

What skills and resources were you able to draw from the community for this project?

Unity of parents in their children’s education. Humanity, the spirit of working together.

The challenges

The organization aims to address the low literacy levels in the country, through inculcating the culture of reading by introducing stories of their identity, African literature in particular, and other various literature as there’s not much on its content. To instill a patriotic culture where innovation flourishes.

Addressing the challenges

Ikusasa Decolonisation Libraries is a student association also at the UFS as it has participants from the student’s community, who are acquainted with books all the time and study a variety of courses. Students volunteer their energies in facilitating the programme of ensuring that kids learn how to read, which offers them a skill. Prepare students for the workplace, teacher, parent, student, pupil educational relationship.

The achievements

It has partnered with Nali Bali, an organization that advocates for reading in the country. In November 2018, Ikusasa launched its first pilot project in Thaba Nchu 60 kilometers away from Bloemfontein. Currently working with a school, in assistance of network through the community engagement office of the University of the Free State. The name of the school is Tebelelo Primary School in Rocklands.