Literacy Leap founder Hlengiwe Mkhwanazi (24) describes herself as a passionate and dedicated young woman, who believes strongly in the power of education and community.

Mkhwanazi, who, together with her team from Literacy Leap, an initiative aimed at improving access to books and creating a culture of reading, established a new library at Mayibuye Primary School in September, demonstrating her belief in education.

Mkhwanazi, from Glen Austin, grew up in the small town of Marble Hall in Limpopo, before moving to Midrand in 2021.

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“I would describe myself as driven, compassionate, and resilient. I thrive on creating opportunities for others, especially children, to dream bigger through literacy and learning.”

In 2019, Mkhwanazi matriculated from Hoërskool Ben Viljoen in Groblersdal, before taking a few gap years. She then pursued a Higher Certificate in Early Childhood Education and Care at Varsity College in 2021.

She said teaching was always close to her heart because she had seen firsthand how education can change lives.

“I went on to study a Bachelor of Education in intermediate phase teaching, starting in 2022, and now I am in my final year. My experience at Mayibuye Primary School has been truly rewarding. It has challenged me to grow as a teacher, and has shown me the realities of our education system.

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The learners, teachers, and the community have left a lasting impact on me, and I’ve been grateful for every lesson I’ve learned there.”

She said Literacy Leap was born out of a deep desire to address the challenges she witnessed around literacy at the school, such as a lack of resources and opportunities. “We are working on expanding our reach by launching more libraries in underprivileged schools. We are planning on working with the Department of Education so that we can reach as many schools as possible.”

She said they were also planning to run reading programmes, book drives, and mentorship workshops to help learners, not only read, but also develop a lifelong love for learning.

When Mkhwanazi is not at work, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, or going to concerts, restaurants, and being outside, having fun.

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