The Fundza Literacy Trust’s vision to improve accessibility to reading and writing resources in South Africa has deepened following its commitment to multilingualism and multimodalism in 2024. The release of Fundza’s first audiobook, Taxi to Hell, shortly after World Book Day in April exemplifies this commitment, and the Trust is proud to announce that over 8 390 listeners have engaged with the story online to date.
Scientifically speaking, audiobooks can match the beneficial effects of reading, as both mediums stimulate the same cognitive and emotional areas of the brain. Despite fears that audiobooks stop people from reading, evidence from the National Literacy Trust in the UK suggests that the inverse is true: they not only improve literacy (through comprehension and decoding), but actually encourage reading.
Chase Rhys, Head of Content at the Fundza Literacy Trust, comments that audiobooks, at their most simple, are the audio narration of the written word: “Whether done for works of fiction or nonfiction, the narration of texts remains a popular medium for disseminating information and stories to people beyond our social circles. Be it for educational purposes, entertainment, or both, the outcomes are the same – a widening and deepening of one’s relationship with the world.”
Among the many other benefits presented by audiobooks, the most important is that of access – without wide dissemination, the benefits only reach a limited range of would-be readers and listeners.
“But beyond physical access, there is a problem of cultural access: audiobooks available in one’s mother tongue or in any language you need are as important as reading stories written in the language you are comfortable with. Any and all attempts to spread audiobooks to readers – young and old – in other languages should be lauded and supported. If we do not champion and celebrate this cause, we cannot be surprised when we continue to be enveloped by prejudice and distorted views of the world around us,” concludes Rhys.
The success of Fundza’s audiobook is complemented by the user base of its mobisite, which continues to expand and grow. It serves as a fee-free digital library with reading and writing resources for South African youth, and some of its latest statistics are provided below:
- The number of minutes spent per day, on average, per user on the site is 14 min 56s
- User activity tends to spike between 18h00 -22h00 daily
- Users have uploaded over 6848 stories / written materials this year alone
- The largest user base of the platform (79%) predominantly identifies as women and girls
- The top themes of all content submitted, regarding the issues our youth are most concerned about, include:
- Love and Relationships: Many stories delve into the dynamics of romantic relationships, familial bonds, and friendships.
- Social Issues and Justice: Stories frequently tackle pressing social issues such as crime, gender-based violence (GBV), and inequality.
- Mental Health: Issues of mental health, such as depression, anxiety, and trauma, are explored with sensitivity.
- Cultural and Historical Contexts: There is a strong emphasis on stories that explore cultural heritage and historical contexts, reflecting on how these elements shape individual and collective identities.
One thing is certain: we all tell stories and rely on them to make sense of ourselves, the world around us, and our place within this world. Stories also help us interpret the events and people that cross our path. The Fundza Literacy Trust aims to continue supporting the act of storytelling among the youth of our country – in any language, shape, or form.
