From 19 January 2026 to 31 March 2026, South Africans are invited to nominate schools and education NPOs that would benefit from mobile trolley libraries containing quality books and high-impact resources.
“Year 5 is our most ambitious to date. Two thousand trolley libraries mean additional one million books in the hands of young readers,” says Nakedi Pilane, executive director: business development and financial services at Avbob. “We have seen how a single trolley can change the energy of a classroom and the confidence of a learner.”
Karen Simpson, managing director at Oxford University Press Southern Africa, shared her pride in the Road to Literacy campaign and its impact on learners and teachers. “Speaking to educators who’ve received trolleys has shown me just how transformative this initiative is. At OUPSA, we’re committed to publishing in all 11 official written languages, and this campaign helps us get those books directly into the hands of learners who need them most.
About Avbob Road to Literacy
Launched in 2022 in partnership with OUPSA, Avbob Road To Literacy is a public participation campaign, that mobilises communities to contribute in the efforts to empower learners at primary school level with relevant reading resources in all 11 official written languages, by increasing access to reading materials to primary schools across South Africa.
The campaign supports early-grade reading by donating mobile trolley libraries that support literacy and numeracy, aligned with the CAPS curriculum. The model is simple: equip teachers with versatile ready-to-use classroom libraries and give learners regular access to age-appropriate engaging books.
In 2026, Avbob and Oupsa are extending the initiative to reach even more classrooms and communities by doubling its 2025 commitment of 1,000 to 2,000 trolley libraries. This represents an investment of R115m as each library is valued at approximately R57,500.
How does the Road to Literacy nominations work?
Anyone can “Nominate to Educate” - parents, teachers, principals, learners, alumni, community members and even NPOs are welcome to nominate worthy recipients. Nominees should be underserviced public primary schools or education-focused NPOs that will use the trolley library to strengthen reading in the Foundation and Intermediate Phases.
Access to books in a learner’s mother tongue improves reading for meaning at formative stages, classroom engagement and contributes towards retention of learners through their school career. This initiative gives the public a unique opportunity to help address South Africa’s literacy crisis and support their local schools by simply spending a few minutes submitting a nomination,” adds Simpson.
Full details on eligibility, selection and timelines are published with the nomination form on the Avbob Road To Literacy website (https://bit.ly/4sJLVZ2).
Each nomination will be carefully reviewed to ensure a fair and impactful selection process. The aim is to identify schools and organisations that not only demonstrate need but are also deeply committed to improving literacy in their communities.
“Our commitment to literacy extends beyond donation. It’s about creating a lasting change through initiatives that work”, adds Pilane. “Through the Avbob Road To Literacy campaign, we are able to reach schools that often lack resources, helping to nurture a generation of readers who can imagine and achieve more.”
What is the impact of Road to Literacy?
Over the past four years, Avbob Road to Literacy has consistently built momentum by expanding the number of trolleys donated, deepening community engagement, and growing the number of learners reached.
Impact by numbers to date:
- Approximately 4000* trolley libraries donated to schools and education NPOs across the country
- 1,966,000 books donated
- 29,525 nominations submitted
- R227m total investment
- R57,500 average value of each trolley library
The initiative complements Avbob’s broader literacy investments, including the Avbob Container Library programme, which converts shipping containers into fully equipped libraries that serve learners and communities by transforming them into welcoming, functional spaces that make books accessible to all.
*Donated through the AVBOB Road To Literacy and CSI Committee.
How can you help to nominate and educate?
Nominate and share this website https://bit.ly/4sJLVZ2.Your nomination could be the difference between a learner who struggles to read and a reader who realises all the opportunities that literacy unlocks. Sharing ensures broader awareness, meaning more nominations for more deserving schools and NPOs.
