IBBY-Yamada 2023: Zimbabwe

Enhancing children’s reading rights through drama

The promotion of a reading culture in Zimbabwe is an ongoing challenge. The standard method of encouraging reading among children and young people has been through activities at schools, reading clubs, or community libraries. Although beneficial, these activities are reaching only a small fraction of the targeted population. IBBY Zimbabwe intended to throw their net wider by using radio, a media accessible to many across the country. The project sought to dramatize folk tales and or creative stories written by Zimbabwean authors, allowing children to familiarize with Zimbabwean literature.

The Project resulted in the recording of eight radio dramas, which were broadcasted during the education and story-telling slots for learners on the national radio and nine Community radio stations. Feedback from the presenters and the teachers indicate that the materials were well-received and the children were very excited.

At a later stage, IBBY Zimbabwe distributed hard copies of the dramas to a number of schools. The ubiquitous availability of laptops among teachers and parents is adding value to the work achieved. The preliminary impact and success of the project partly inspired the proposal of IBBY Zimbabwe for 2024, to encourage writing and creativity.