Dr. Charles Nzivo, CEO, Kenya National Library Service (KNLS) speaking passionately during the inauguration of National Reading Day and the launch of the Mashujaa wa Kusoma campaign.
Worldreader, a global nonprofit organization, is providing digital books through BookSmart App, a mobile reading app stocked with a large library of free books with local content, and some translated into Kiswahili. The app is designed to ignite a passion and culture for reading and improve literacy among underprivileged children and young adults.
The BookSmart App is a significant boost to the transformative “Mashujaa wa Kusoma” book reading campaign initiated by Worldreader and Kenya National Library Services (KNLS). “Mashujaa wa Kusoma,” translating to “Heroes of Reading,” is a three-month campaign encouraging children aged 3 to 12 to read 25 books each. This community-driven effort aims to promote reading among young learners, especially in under-resourced communities. The communities excelling in achieving these reading goals will be recognized and awarded on October 12th, 2024, and celebrated during Kenya’s Mashujaa Day on October 20th.
“The BookSmart App is being implemented globally, and Worldreader is providing it to young readers while also training educators, parents, and community leaders so they guide the young readers on their reading journey,” said Ms. Olivia Kimani, the Director of Partnerships & Services at Worldreader, Kenya.
Some of the children who have already used the BookSmart App are already enjoying the fruits of the Mashujaa wa Kusoma campaign. Their enthusiasm for reading is a testament to the campaign’s success and its potential to uplift entire communities.
“I am happy that children from underprivileged backgrounds, like me, can find so many nice books,” said Mary Jecinta, a pupil at Little Rock ECD Center in Kibera. “Please keep helping us until every child in Kenya benefits from the power of reading.”
The goal of Mashujaa wa Kusoma is to significantly impact literacy rates and educational outcomes in Kenya. The campaign aims to foster a lifelong love of reading, bridge the digital literacy gap, and encourage local content creation.
