The AVBOB Road to Literacy campaign has reached an inspiring new milestone by distributing 1,000 mobile trolley libraries to schools and non-profit organisations across South Africa. This year’s announcement, made on 29 May 2025 at the Sandton Hotel, marks the largest rollout in the campaign’s history and represents a R57 million investment in education.
Organised in partnership with Oxford University Press South Africa (OUPSA), the campaign aims to address the persistent challenges of low literacy and numeracy levels at foundation phase. Each trolley contains 500 CAPS-aligned books in all 11 official languages, promoting early learning through culturally and linguistically relevant material.
“This initiative is a powerful example of what can be achieved through partnerships,” said Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube, during the campaign launch. “It honours South Africa’s diversity and addresses a national priority – building foundational literacy and numeracy skills.”
Started in 2022 with just 180 trolleys, the Road to Literacy campaign has since grown exponentially. This year alone, over 500,000 books will be distributed – double the total delivered in 2024.
Karen Simpson, Managing Director of OUPSA, emphasized the importance of mother tongue learning: “Access to books in a learner’s home language is essential to engagement, retention and success in school.”
AVBOB CEO Carl van der Riet reaffirmed the company’s commitment to community upliftment: “Literacy and numeracy are tools for dignity and opportunity. We believe this campaign empowers children to shape their own futures.”
The campaign received 8,661 nominations from educators, parents, and community members nationwide. Recipients span all nine provinces and include rural schools, urban primary schools, and grassroots NGOs.
As a mobile solution, the trolley libraries are designed to be durable and accessible in under-resourced environments. They support both reading for enjoyment and structured numeracy development — a rare combination in literacy campaigns.
Executive Director of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls, Gugu Ndebele, added: “Literacy unlocks confidence, agency, and opportunity. We are inspired by the campaign’s focus and impact.”
With plans to continue expanding reach and deepen community engagement, AVBOB and OUPSA have issued a call for more like-minded partners to join this growing movement for educational justice and literacy development in South Africa.
