Miss SA Qhawekazi Mazaleni Shares the Joy of Stories with Monde Primary Learners

Miss SA, Qhawekazi Mazaleni, recently turned a typical morning at Monde Primary into a world of wonder by reading to them from her isiXhosa children’s book ‘Amasele Amdaka’.

East Rand, South Africa (18 February 2026) – Stories are the very heartbeat of our heritage. World Read Aloud Month (WRAM) arrives not just as a celebration, but as a vital intervention to ensure this heartbeat remains alive.

As South Africa grapples with a literacy crisis, where hundreds of Grade 4 learners still struggle to read for basic meaning, WRAM literacy programmes and school visits offer more than just a pleasant day of storytelling. They provide a glimmer of hope for our reading culture – in languages our children understand.

Joining the WRAD movement was the adored Miss South Africa and Empower Youth Africa (EYA) Ambassador, Qhawekazi Mazaleni. She recently paid a visit to Monde Primary School in the East Rand, where she read from her isiXhosa children’s book Amasele Amdaka as part of her ongoing literacy outreach focused on mother-tongue learning, early language development, and access to education.

Welcomed with vibrant performances, she encouraged learners to dream boldly, value education, and embrace the power of mother-tongue storytelling.

“In all honesty, this was such a rewarding day. We started off the day with a sit-down conversation with the principal. He actually attended this school when he was younger, and he’s been able to watch it develop and grow throughout the years. We also touched on the mother tongue-based bilingual learning and how it helps shape learning in the classroom,” Qhawekazi shared.

The process of translating her book is already underway to ensure more children can enjoy the contents of its pages. Qhawekazi is a proud advocate for inclusive education, and she added that as a speech therapist, it is deeply important to her to advocate for early reading and learning resources.

“There is strong scientific evidence that mother-tongue instruction plays a critical role in shaping academic success,” she says.

Through Empower Youth Africa, she continues to champion access to education and youth empowerment, one school at a time.

By bringing vibrant, multilingual narratives directly into schools and classrooms, such initiatives transform reading from a daunting academic hurdle into a shared, joyful adventure.

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