Westridge literacy champion in US
A Westridge born and raised literacy champion is touring America in an international professional exchange programme.
Read to Rise programme manager Roscoe Williams, who has been to every primary school in Mitchell’s Plain up to five times in the last decade, is a participant in the US Department of State’s premier month-long International Visitor Leadership Programme (IVLP).
The non-profit organisation is committed to promoting youth literacy in schools in South Africa's under-resourced communities (“Read to Rise marks a decade of inspiring young minds”, September 27, 2023).
The month-long trip allows current and emerging foreign leaders in various fields to experience America first hand and to cultivate lasting relationships with their American counterparts.
“Professional meetings reflect the participants’ professional interests and support the foreign policy goals of the United States,” read the US Department State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Exchange programme’s website.
They are based in Mitchell’s Plain and have ensured that foundation phase pupils receive the Oaky book series during interactive sessions.
Mr Williams and his team of facilitators visits classes, gives each pupil a book to take home, discusses the story and lessons learned so that they can be inspired by Oaky, the lead character, an acorn who grows into a big oak tree, his animal friends, and community.
He wants to bring home whatever resources the other professionals and host state has to offer.
The Plainsman joined him at Caradale Primary School on Wednesday February 28, when he told the pupils that he had not received many accolades or certificates when he was at school but that he would be flying to America in a day’s time.
He said that reading and visiting schools to share this passion has allowed him to go overseas.
“I want to network and show them how we have inspired kids for the last 10-years,” he said.
Mr Williams said an anonymous radio listener had proposed his nomination to the American embassy about four-years ago.
He was about to go in 2019 when the national Covid-19 lockdown was imposed.
“I am there to bring my story to tell them exactly what Read to Rise is doing in the community,” he said.
He wants to go to the ghettos and see what the other participants have to offer, so they may learn from each other.
“If you want to change lives, you have to continuously come back all of the time. You have to build relations. Invest time and be sincere and genuine,” he said.
Mr Williams together with Read to Rise founders his older brother Athol Williams, author of the Oaky series, and illustrator Taryn Lock his wife, who are now in the United Kingdom, have been intent on creating a reading generation.
“This is our main focus. To see the children read and reach out to one child at a time,” he said.
Mr Williams senior is an ethics scholar, anti-corruption advocate, poet and author, and Ms Lock fled the country, fearing for their safety after he received death threats for blowing the whistle on corruption during the Zondo Commission, a judge-led inquiry into alleged state capture in South Africa.
Mr Williams lives with his wife and their two daughters in Goodwood.
He said that he is almost every day in Mitchell’s Plain and that he would be taking the many stories that pupils have shared with him with to the US.
In October 2022 Read to Rise won the award for “substantial contribution towards the development and advancement of reading and literacy, including IT literacy” at the Western Cape government’s department of cultural affairs and sport, cultural affairs awards ceremony (“’Plain groups come out tops”, Plainsman October 26, 2022).
Mr Williams also received honours in the Mitchell’s Plain United Residents’ Associations inaugural awards arts and culture sector (“’Plain honours its heroes for community service”, Plainsman October 3).
Nine years ago he was also LeadSA Hero of the Month, in September.