Pricilla Mukokobi
Eleven-year-old Stephanie Shaumbwako from the Orban Primary School in Windhoek wrote a book during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic to encourage her peers to develop a culture of reading and writing.
The book titled, ‘From the Top to the Bottom’ is about a girl whose life was at the top and went to the bottom and back to the top again.
“We all have different paths but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t read books. This day means a lot to us children as we get to celebrate the books that we read and the knowledge we get in the books,” she said during the celebration of International Children’s Book Day last week.
Shaumbwako encouraged her fellow learners to read more books to improve their vocabulary.
She added that she wrote the book during Covid-19 because everyone was going through some hardship, and she wanted everyone to read the book and get motivated.
Held annually on 2 April, International Children’s Book Day aims to promote literacy, encourage the love of reading and highlight the importance of children’s books. This year’s celebration was organised by the education ministry at the Namibia Library and Archive Services offices and was attended with great enthusiasm by several officials, teachers, and learners from various schools in Windhoek.
It was a fun-filled celebration that included reading sessions and book donations to promote the importance of reading in the development of children. Children were engaged in various book related activities such as Read Aloud, Poetry and book quizzes.
Impressed by the young author Shaumbwako, Khomas governor Laura McLeod-Katjirua encouraged more learners to write books, even in indigenous languages, as it contributes to a culture of reading. “With reading, you are mentally engaged whereas on television you are just lazily watching most of the time without having to think. Reading can reduce stress, lower our blood pressure, our heart rate and muscle tension,” she said.
McLeod-Katjirua extended gratitude to the education ministry for organising the event, especially since this was the first time Namibia joined the rest of the world in celebrating this day.
“This event emphasises the wonderful power and the importance of books for young people. This reading culture is very important to you the younger generation because once you learn to read, you will forever be free. Today a reader, tomorrow a leader, read to succeed,” she said.