Every community with children and curious minds needs a nurturer to guide them. In Amalinda in East London, Bulelwa Lukabya is that nurturer, and she’s using storybooks to bring joy and set children on the right path.
East London, South Africa (14 August 2025) – A community’s future is shaped by its children. In Amalinda, East London, Bulelwa Lukabya is shaping that future, one book at a time.
When she isn’t farming vegetables in her garden, Bulelwa is the nurturer every neighbourhood with curious young minds needs, using her deep love for literature to give children the gift of reading for enjoyment.
“I found out about Nal’ibali at an event to support women who are farmers, as they were showcasing their fresh produce. I learned about Nal’ibali and immediately liked everything about it.”
That moment marked the beginning of Bulelwa’s journey with Nal’ibali, the national reading-for-enjoyment campaign, as a Literacy Activist who is making a difference by helping children learn to read, read for enjoyment and become storytellers.
“What I liked most about Nal’ibali was the use of our mother tongue and how it preserves the tradition of storytelling. Things that can build them, unlike the things we experience nowadays.”
Bulelwe enjoys reading the Nal’ibali children’s stories for herself and the children of Amalinda, so much so that she has started writing stories too – something she never imagined she’d ever do.
“Seeing the change that has happened after I started working with Nal’ibali, a lot has shifted.”
Bulelwa touched on her concerns about the lack of motivation and the inappropriate language some of the children used before attending her literacy club.
“But now they are very motivated to read. They have also been sharing storybooks with one another so that they all know and understand the stories being covered. They are determined and love what they are doing. Sometimes they even correct each other.”
It brings Bulelwa joy to witness the positive changes and joy for reading in the children, emphasising that their future depends on the ability to learn.
“They need to transfer the joy they get from reading storybooks to their schoolbooks so that they can have a bright future.”
With this guidance and wisdom, there is little doubt that her bookworms are certainly on the right path!
Sources: Nal’ibali
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