[SPONSORED] AVBOB in partnership with Oxford University Press Southern Africa (OUPSA) is calling on the public to nominate primary schools and education-focused non-profit organisations (NPOs) for the fifth year of its Road to Literacy (RTL) initiative.
As part of the 2026 campaign, AVBOB and OUPSA will donate 2 000 trolley libraries, each stocked with 500 CAPS-aligned books, to help nurture a lifelong love of reading among young learners.
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 an additional 1 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 OUPSA, 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 to empowering learners at primary school level with relevant reading resources in all 11 official written languages by increasing access to reading materials in 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 trolley libraries to 2 000 trolley libraries. This represents an investment of R115 million as each library is valued at approximately R57 500.
How do 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 and 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.
Each nomination is carefully reviewed to ensure a fair and impactful selection process. The aim is to identify schools and organisations that not only demonstrate need but also deep commitment to improving literacy in their communities.
“Our commitment to literacy extends beyond donation. It’s about creating a lasting change through initiatives that work,” shares Pilane. “Through the AVBOB Road To Literacy campaign, we are able to reach schools that 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 4 000* trolley libraries donated to schools and education NPOs across the country
- 1 966 000 books donated
- 29 525 nominations submitted
- R227 million invested
- R57 500 average value of each trolley library
The initiative complements AVBOB’s broader literacy investments, including the AVBOB Container Library Project, 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 AVBOB Road To Literacy and the AVBOB CSI Committee.
How can you help nominate and educate?
Nominate and share this website.
Your nomination could be the difference between a learner who struggles without appropriate books 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.