ISUZU Motors South Africa Partners with Rally to Read to Promote Literacy
Gqeberha, South Africa, 23 May 2024 – ISUZU Motors South Africa (ISUZU) proudly announces its partnership with Rally to Read, a dedicated organization focused on enhancing literacy and education in South Africa. This collaboration underscores ISUZU’s unwavering commitment to driving positive change and empowering communities through educational initiatives.
The latest Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) revealed a concerning statistic: in 2021, 81% of Grade 4 learners across all official languages in South Africa struggled to read for meaning. Rally to Read, supported by sponsors from both the public and private sectors, aims to address this issue by delivering books, teaching aids, and essential resources to schools, striving to elevate literacy levels.
With a substantial R16 million raised, Rally to Read is set to fund 12 regional rallies in 2024, with one of these rallies being in partnership with ISUZU.
Together, ISUZU and Rally to Read delivered boxes filled with books to three primary schools: Khulile in Motherwell, Kaysar Ngxwana in kwaZakhele, and St Albans. This initiative is designed to foster a love for reading and writing, and to enhance literacy skills among South African youth. The boxes include a variety of fiction and non-fiction books in Afrikaans and isiXhosa, as well as classroom resources, laptops, and laminating sets.
“We firmly believe in the transformative power of education and are committed to investing in the youth and communities where we operate,” said Lebogang Makoloi, ISUZU’s Department Executive for Corporate Affairs. “As a responsible corporate citizen, we recognize the importance of improving literacy from an early age. Our partnership with Rally to Read reinforces our commitment to driving positive change and empowering the next generation of leaders.”
The impact of Rally to Read goes beyond financial contributions. Through personal interactions with children, donors witness the transformative power of literacy, bridging the gap between adversity and opportunity for rural children. Annual scientific assessments demonstrate significant improvements in literacy levels and reading comprehension after three years in the program. Many former Rally to Read learners now attend South African universities, highlighting the long-term impact of the organization’s initiatives.
“As we drive our story of caring, collaboration, and hope, we are thrilled to embark on this journey with ISUZU Motors South Africa. Together, we are delivering essential learning resources to three primary schools in Gqeberha,” said Sibhekaphi Sibanda, READ Project Manager. “Our primary focus is promoting literacy at the grassroots level by providing teachers and learners with quality resources and training.”
To ensure the project’s sustainability, extensive teacher literacy training and digital literacy training will be implemented. Additionally, parents will receive training to support literacy beyond the classroom.
ISUZU is also actively engaged in various Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects centered on education and community development. For instance, the partnership with the Nelson Mandela Govan Mbeki Mathematics Development Centre (GMMDC) program provides three high schools with Mathematics and Physical Sciences resources through an offline/online platform, emphasizing improved results in these subjects. This initiative also includes an incubator program in coding and STEAM interactive workshops, offering learners hands-on experiences to develop essential skills through play.
Moreover, ISUZU supports the Missionvale Care Centre by funding a mathematics teacher annually. This funding helps improve mathematics results and provides foundational support for learners from Grades 4 to 7.
ISUZU also co-titles the recently concluded Herald ISUZU Schools Quiz, aimed at fostering literacy development and supporting learning, knowledge, and growth through a school competition.
Through partnerships with Rally to Read and investments in educational initiatives like GMMDC and Missionvale Care Centre, ISUZU demonstrates its commitment to driving positive change and empowering communities through education.
