South Africa
  • Please list links to your Website and Social Media Platforms here:

The FunDza Literacy Trust
live.fundza.mobi
Twitter
Facebook

  • Describe in detail what your Organisation does:

Our Vision is to contribute to the growth of generations of educated, empowered and engaged young leaders and citizens of South Africa. Literacy is a powerful tool with lifelong benefits. Reading books and stories influences ones choices, it gives value to lives, it enhances critical and creative thinking and encourages personal development. Reading is the fundamental pillar of education. Education is the foundation of a healthy, stable, growth-oriented society.

We have 4 main focuses:

TRAINING FOR SCALE:

Increasingly FunDza is being asked to train teachers, reading group facilitators, librarians and volunteers on how to encourage teens and young adults to reading for enjoyment and to develop their writing skills. To this end it has developed a training component that covers each of its areas of interest: reading, writing and literacy learning.

LITERACY FOR LIFE:

In 2014, FunDza started to build resources to accompany its stories, blogs and feature articles in order to develop and deepen reading practice. To this end, it has built an online system – theLMS – that can host a range of customised or open reading courses using FunDza content.

Typically a module includes a reading text, a quiz (with access to answers and explanations), and related activities, such as writing exercises, discussions, debates, drama or role-play. The intention is to use the text as a springboard to bringing language learning to life in a fun and creative way. The courses can be conducted as part of a group learning environment or as an individual online.
FunDza offers its Family, Fanz and Friends access to a variety of online courses. The modules include a range of genres and can include language modules too.

READING FOR PLEASURE:

FunDza creates and publishes materials that will ignite a love of reading, specifically aimed at teens and young adults who have never previously identified as readers. Through experimentation and research FunDza has learned that young people are more likely to become readers if they are introduced to texts that are meaningful to them. Thus, creating local content that speaks to young readers hearts and minds, and that reflects their circumstances, is of paramount importance.

WRITING FOR EXPRESSION:

To be literate is to be able to read. To be ‘empowered by literacy’, readers need to be able to communicate their thoughts and ideas effectively too. FunDza not only wants to create a nation of readers who consume content, it wants to build a strong network of creators of content too. To this end, it is working with young writers to help to develop their writing talents, through workshops, writing mentorships and through helping them publish their work on the fundza.mobi platform.

  • How long has your Organisation been operational?

Since 2011

  • In your opinion, what has been the most challenging aspect of running your Organisation?

The cost of data and the challenge of getting zero rated with ALL service providers.

  • Describe your Nonprofit Journey in three words:

Challenging, growing, learning

  • Do you collaborate with other Causes? If yes, would you like to mention them?

Nal’ibali
Activate
Equal Education
Year Beyond
AVA
Ground Up
Salesian Life Choices
Puku
…to name a few

  • If you had one Organisation wish, what would it be?

Endless funding!

  • In your opinion, which skills do Nonprofits in your Country lack?

Governance

  • Looking back at your Cause Journey, what advice would you give a newbie Organisation?

Secure funding and work consistently with your M&E

  • If you could change one thing about the Nonprofit Landscape, what would it be?

More transparency

  • Which Cause achievement are you most proud of? Feel free to elaborate on why and include any links:

We recently won the UNESCO prize for Literacy.
http://www.fundza.co.za/in-exceptionally-good-company/

  • Last question, if your friends had to describe your Organisation in three words, which would they use?

Innovative, community-driven and authentic.

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