Written By: Wandile Mathe
Books and art give children the freedom to live in their imaginations, creatively solve complex problems, and taste their dreams before they come to life.
In Alexandra, Johannesburg, there is a group of bright minds that meet on weekends to share the joy of books under the name Read Alex. I almost burst into confetti when they invited me to sit in their circle to read with them and facilitate a brief art workshop.
I had the pleasure of visiting the club on 12 July 2025. After their morning run, the kids joined me in their study room for a reading session of Mandla’s Mark and Other Stories. We started the session with a lively game of Jiga Lo that had us singing at the top of our lungs — with a few dances moves here and there. The game had energized us so much that we were now ready to be blown away by the incredible stories waiting in the book.
At first, the club members spent a long, astonished moment just gazing at the bright, bold cover. We passed a few copies around, and many of the kids already wanted to keep the book for themselves.
When we spoke about the fresh cover, the children were captivated by the image of Mandla on the front — some even asked me who had drawn the beautiful picture. And like the cover alone wasn’t enough to get us talking. Without wasting time, we ran across the fresh pages and even squabbled a little about who would read which part of the story.
We took turns reading “Hope Is in the Heart.” The children’s eyes followed closely as each person read. After every page, we paused for a short reflection and a few wild guesses. Their predictions about the ending were hilarious and imaginative — and had the whole group laughing at the playfulness of it all.
That’s when I felt my heart shift and my spirit fill with joy — seeing children freely fill their world with imaginations that are very real possibilities for their futures. The story sparked conversations about the outcomes they desire for their lives. This led to deep and meaningful chats about the book, their dreams, and the creative projects they are individually working on.
One club member shared that he is writing his own memoir and wishes for a happy ending to his story, which centres around fashion design. Another member expressed having similar dreams to Sfiso from the story and is hoping for an even better outcome in her own life.
After the reading, I led the club members through an activity: drawing their dream maps. With full creative freedom, they illustrated their paths to achieving their dreams. The maps included small goals, milestones, and of course, challenges to anticipate — along with ways to overcome them.
By the end of the session, everyone was raving about taking the book home to keep the fire of their dreams burning. It was truly the time of our lives — a moment that has formed a lasting bond between me and the club. They even ordered more copies of the book, with a few special editions signed for their top readers.
It was a beautiful reminder of the importance of reading communities in shaping the futures of children in South Africa.