[Bringing the "Joy of Reading" to Children in South Africa] Towards a Future Without Educational Disparities with Japanese Mobile Library Vehicles

Press Release Information Title: [Bringing the "Joy of Reading" to Children in South Africa] Towards a Future Without Educational Disparities with Japanese Mobile Library Vehicles Subtitle: Reusing 54 mobile library vehicles to circulate elementary schools Company Name: Specified Non-profit Organization SAPESI-Japan Industry: Education, Qualifications, Human Resources, Transportation, Logistics

This press release is a dream shared by businesses that resonate with the April Dream project, aiming to make April 1st a day full of dreams that will eventually come true. Our association supports April Dream, and this press release represents the dream of "NPO SAPESI-Japan."

### Educational Disparities in South Africa and Opportunities to Encounter Books

In South Africa, there are significant disparities in educational environments. While some private schools boast educational environments equivalent to or even superior to those in Europe, America, or Japan, many public schools continue to lack adequately equipped libraries and books.

Although the development of school buildings is progressing, children's books for libraries are not sufficiently distributed to public schools nationwide.

In this situation, increasing opportunities for children to interact with books and experience the "joy of reading" is a crucial challenge for improving the quality of education.

### Primary Education Support by Japanese "Mobile Library Vehicles"

The Specified Non-profit Organization SAPESI-Japan collaborates with the Ministry of Education of the Republic of South Africa to support "mobile library activities" where mobile library vehicles circulate schools that lack libraries or books.

By repurposing mobile library vehicles that have completed their service in Japan and making them functional libraries locally, we create opportunities for children to access books.

To date, we have delivered 54 mobile library vehicles and approximately 200,000 children's books to South Africa.

When a mobile library vehicle arrives at an elementary school, children joyfully gather in the schoolyard, lining up to wait for their turn to choose a book. Imagining their bright future and that of South Africa, we see their earnest faces as they independently select and engross themselves in reading their chosen books.

### Background of the Activities

This "mobile library vehicle activity" began against the backdrop of the following challenges:

- Improving literacy (reading and writing skills), which is a key educational policy of the South African government. - The existence of schools where teachers and children have limited opportunities to interact with books. - The need for support to utilize books in educational settings. - The importance of education that conveys local tribal languages and cultures.

Mobile library vehicles are utilized as an educational support mechanism that can address these challenges at a grassroots level.

### Our Dream

We, NPO SAPESI-Japan, dream of creating an environment where all children in South Africa can encounter books.

To deliver a Japanese mobile library vehicle to South Africa, a cost of approximately 1.5 million yen per vehicle is required, including maintenance, storage, and transportation fees.

Our activities are sustained by the cooperation of many people, including vehicle donations from local governments, monetary donations from corporations and individuals, and support for children's books.

We will continue our mobile library activities to bring the "joy of reading" to as many children as possible.

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"Specified Non-profit Organization SAPESI-Japan (South African Primary Education Support Initiative)"

Established in December 2008 as the Japanese sister organization to NPO SAPESI (South Africa) (South African Primary Support Initiative), which was founded in August 2006 in the Republic of South Africa, we conduct the business of sending mobile library vehicles from Japan.

Keywords: South Africa, Library, Literacy Rate, CSR, Recycle, International Cooperation, Education, Local Government, International Exchange, April Dream