Budding bookworms in the Valley of 1000 Hills, near Durban will get to enjoy the enriching and wholesome goodness of educational books thanks to a generous donation made by the Denis Hurley Street Lit Project!
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (03 April 2025) – A heartwarming initiative is bringing the magic of educational books to sixty children in the Valley of 1000 Hills!
Thanks to a generous donation from the Denis Hurley Street Lit Project, the Isithumba Travels Adventure Park will now house a collection of captivating books focused on conservation, wildlife, and tourism for the 60 children who visit iSithumba Adventures after school each day, offering them an opportunity to explore the wonders of nature, sustainability, and the world beyond their village.
Isithumba Travels Adventure Park falls under the umbrella of the Isithumba Community Development Movement (ICDM), a community-based youth-driven initiative that aims to uplift and empower the youth of this community.
The Park is not only an adventure tourism destination, but it is also a space where the local community benefits from sustainable initiatives that improve education, environmental awareness, and economic opportunities.
With limited access to libraries in rural areas, many children in iSithumba lack the resources to develop strong reading habits. This donation changes that by providing an informal learning space where they can immerse themselves in books that inspire curiosity, creativity, and a deeper understanding of the environment.
“We are so excited to start our library and to give children a chance to read books that stimulate curiosity and a love for the natural world,” says Amimi Mlaba, owner and manager of iSithumba Travels.
“By giving them access to these books that teach them about wildlife and the environment, we are nurturing a new generation that will care for and protect our natural heritage. This works towards our aim to use tourism as a force for positive change.”
Street Lit is a successful initiative of the Durban NGO Denis Hurley Centre, which cares for the city’s homeless, vulnerable, and refugee communities and helps homeless people work towards becoming financially sustainable.
Touching on the book donation, the manager of the StreetLit project, Illa Thompson, explained that it has always been the charity’s philosophy that any books which are surplus to its requirements or are better suited to be appreciated in a specialist library context are gifted to places where they can be enjoyed.
“We are especially mindful of the limited access many people have to books outside of the city hub and major malls. Knowing about this project, we have been setting aside books which we thought would benefit the children who are being mentored at the centre around tourism, conservation and environmental sustainability, and together with the Street Lit booksellers, we felt it would be hugely beneficial to these youngsters in this community.”
Donations of quality, current, good-condition books for the Denis Hurley Centre St Lit project are always welcome. For more information, contact the Centre on 031 301 2240.
Sources: Supplied
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