ISUZU Motors South Africa (ISUZU) is proud to announce its partnership with Rally to Read, an organisation committed to promoting literacy and education in South Africa. This collaboration further emphasises ISUZU's dedication to driving positive change and empowering communities through education.
Results from the most recent Progress International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) showed that in 2021, 81% of grade 4 learners across all official languages cannot read for meaning. Rally to Read, in partnership with sponsors across the public and private sector, deliver books, teaching aids and other much-needed resources to schools with the aim of helping improve literacy levels.
With R16 million raised, Rally To Read will fund 12 regional rallies in 2024 and one of those rallies is being done in partnership with ISUZU.
ISUZU and Rally to Read delivered boxes of books to three primary schools namely, Khulile in Motherwell, Kaysar Ngxwana in kwaZakhele and lastly St Albans, with the aim of promoting a love for reading, writing, and the enhancement of literacy skills among South African youth. The boxes consist of fiction and non-fiction books in Afrikaans and in 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 youth and communities within which we operate," says Lebogang Makoloi, ISUZU’s Department Executive for Corporate Affairs. “As a responsible corporate citizen, we recognise 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," adds Makoloi.
The impact of Rally to Read extends far beyond financial contributions. Through personal interactions with children, donors witness firsthand the transformative power of full literacy, bridging the gap between adversity and opportunity for rural children. Scientific assessments conducted annually reveal a significant improvement in literacy levels and reading comprehension after three years in the program. Many former Rally to Read learners are now enrolled at South African universities, highlighting the long-term impact of the organisation's initiatives.
“As part of driving our story of caring, collaboration and hope, we are excited to embark on this journey with ISUZU Motors South Africa where we are delivering much-needed learning resources to three primary schools in Gqeberha. At the core of our agenda is the primary focus on promoting literacy at grassroots level through providing teachers and learners access to quality resources and training,” says READ Project Manager, Sibhekaphi Sibanda.
To ensure the sustainability of the project extensive teacher literacy training and digital literacy training will be rolled out as part of the project. In addition, parents will also receive training to support literacy beyond the classroom.
ISUZU is also actively engaged in various Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects focused on education and community development. The partnership with the Nelson Mandela Govan Mbeki Mathematics Development Centre (GMMDC) program, for instance, provides three high schools with Mathematics and Physical Sciences learning resources through an offline/online platform, with an emphasis on improving results in these subjects. This initiative also includes an incubator program in coding and STEAM interactive workshops, offering learners hands-on learning experiences to develop essential skills through play.
In addition, ISUZU supports the Missionvale Care Centre by providing annual funding to employ a mathematics teacher. This funding enables the centre to improve mathematics results and provide foundational support for the subject, benefiting learners from Grades 4 to 7.
ISUZU is a co-title sponsor of the recently concluded Herald ISUZU Schools quiz aimed at fostering development in literacy and to support learning, knowledge and growth through a school’s competition.
By partnering with Rally to Read and investing in educational initiatives like GMMDC and Missionvale Care Centre, ISUZU demonstrates its commitment to driving positive change and empowering communities through education.
Pic: David Furlonger, Steering Committee Member for the Rally To Read, Lebogang Makoloi, ISUZU’s Department Executive for Corporate Affairs and Vatiswa Diamond, Principal at Khulile Primary School during the handover
