KPMG volunteers bring reading to 240 Riversands learners
A day of stories, shared reading and new books brought 240 young learners together with KPMG volunteers at Riversands Primary School.
Thirty KPMG One Africa volunteers spent International Literacy Day with 240 Grade 2 learners at Riversands Primary School, using storytelling and reading sessions to encourage a love of books.
The volunteers visited the school on September 8, as part of KPMG’s Family for Literacy (KFFL) programme, a global initiative that encourages employees to engage with children and families through reading.
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Working in small groups, KPMG professionals read with the learners and used interactive storytelling to make the sessions engaging and enjoyable. Each learner also received a book to take home, allowing them to continue reading beyond the school.
Dudu Ndlovu, head of corporate affairs at the company, said the programme was about more than donating resources.
“We believe that our impact is amplified when our people can give more than financial resources – when they give their time, their skills and themselves.”
She said volunteering allowed their employees to engage directly with communities while creating opportunities for children. “Today, the ambition is much bigger than a single day. It is about helping to build confidence, curiosity and a love of learning that can stay with these children long after we leave.”
KFFL has been adapted across Africa to respond to local literacy challenges through book donations, reading engagements, school support and partnerships with literacy-focused organisations.
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Ndlovu said access to books was important, but the interaction between volunteers and learners was also significant.
“The human connection matters. When a KPMG volunteer sits with a learner, reads a story with them, listens to their ideas and encourages them to turn the next page, we are helping to make reading a lived experience rather than simply a school requirement.”
Literacy development forms part of the company’s broader impact strategy, with the organisation highlighting the role reading plays in education, future employability and economic participation.
The KFFL programme also forms part of KPMG’s global 10 by 30 ambition to economically empower 10 million young people by 2030. Across Africa, KPMG member firms support education, youth development and employability initiatives, particularly in disadvantaged communities.
“Our people are at the heart of our impact. The most meaningful change happens when we move beyond talking about the communities we serve and actually spend time with them.”
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