Turning pages, changing futures: Corporate-government partnership celebrates National Book Week with three library donations

Turning pages, changing futures: Corporate-government partnership celebrates National Book Week with three library donations Vusi.Bafetane Fri, 09/18/2026 - 14:29

Container Library donated at Thongwana High School

Container Library donated at Thongwana High School

Turning pages, changing futures: Corporate-government partnership celebrates National Book Week with three library donations

On Monday, 7 September 2026, AVBOB in partnership with the Department of Basic Education (DBE), donated a container library to Thongwana High School in Ingwavuma, Manguzi, and two trolley libraries to Mengu Primary School in Kwalulwane, both in KwaZulu-Natal, to commemorate Book Week and Literacy Month. The donations are aimed at strengthening literacy, learning and access to educational resources in underserved rural communities.

“The container library is stocked with over 3 000 books and learning resources. It is the 77th AVBOB Container Library donated and the first to be awarded to a high school since the inception of the project in 2013. Mengu Primary School is also the first school to receive two trolley libraries. They include learning materials and educational toys for the early childhood development centre to Grade 7,” says Eugene Strauss, AVBOB Group CEO.

From Left [Karen Simpson - Managing Director at OUPSA; Nkosinathi Ngcobo - Head of Department of KZN Department of Education; Eugene Strauss - AVBOB Group CEO; Siviwe Gwarube - Minister of Basic Education; Dr Muzwenhlanhla Mkhwanazi - Principal of Thongwana High School; Zeenat Norton - Marketing Director at OUPSA; Keboneilwe Mosweusweu - AVBOB General Manager: Shared Value and Sustainability.

Key facts about the AVBOB Container Library programme and the AVBOB Road To Literacy initiative:

• Over R39 million invested in creating and delivering 77 container libraries across all nine provinces since 2013.
• Each container library is stocked with 3 000 CAPS-aligned books and is powered by solar panels to create a functional, comfortable learning space.
• Approximately 2 978 bilingual dictionaries provided to learners.
• Approximately R11 million invested in refurbishing and replenishing 27 container libraries (to date) that are more than seven years old.
• Over 228 000 books donated, impacting over 74 000 learners and 2 000 educators.
• Each trolley library contains 500 CAPS-aligned literacy books, bringing the total number of books donated in 2026 to over 1 million.
• To date, 3 986 schools have received trolley libraries, representing an investment of more than R227 million in literacy and educational resources.

Approximately 900 dictionaries were provided to Thongwana High School in addition to the 3 000 books in the container library.