I HAVE recently taken part in Read Aloud Fridays, an Anna Foundation initiative where volunteers read aloud to children on farms on Friday afternoons.
When I received all my information, I decided to visit Paarl Library because the reading was in Afrikaans and to be quite honest, I wasn’t sure what books to read to the children ranging in ages from Grade R level to Grade 8.
Being the mother of teenagers, I wasn’t sure what was still in, out or relevant in the books department for younger kids.
The staff at Paarl Library was absolutely fantastic. They made a special library card for me to use for this initiative, they gave me a stack of appropriate books, and they also gave me a list of recommended books from the Education Department to give to reading volunteers.
I chatted to the ladies at Anna Foundation as well as some of the people involved in after-school care at the farms and it seems that the libraries in some of the surrounding towns were anything but helpful – so big thumbs up to Paarl Library!
I thoroughly enjoyed the reading experience and I am sure some other members of our community would like to take part in this as it is made so much easier by the help and support of our local library – visit Paarl Library and they will point you in the right direction.
Juli Huisamen
