Racheal Nafula was recently honored with the Mashujaa wa Kusoma award by Worldreader and the Kenya National Library Service (KNLS). Launched in July 2024, the Mashujaa wa Kusoma program aimed to inspire children between the ages of 3 and 12 to read 25 books in three months.
In three months, the 11-year-old Kibera School for Girls student read an astounding 1,178 books as part of the reading campaign designed to foster a love of reading and encourage perpetual education in young Kenyans, according to Pulselive.co.ke.
Apart from Nafula, other notable performances were Quintine Owino (1,087 books), Delssa Owino (1,080 books), Ian Olive (1,077 books), and Wesley Joel Mareri (732 books).
This challenge attracted competitors from Nairobi, Kisumu, Kiambu, and Mombasa.
Nafula and the other top achievers received recognition during an awards ceremony at Nairobi’s Maktaba Kuu Building.
These young readers were hailed as reading heroes who exemplify the program’s goal of ensuring that everyone can access and appreciate books.
Worldreader, which has more than 22 million readers worldwide, partnered with KNLS to carry out the program using tools like the BookSmart app, a digital library that offers thousands of free, kid-friendly books.
According to Olivia Kimani, Director of Partnerships & Services at Worldreader Kenya, “The first step to empowering our children is ensuring equitable access to digital tools of learning.”
The software gives kids an efficient means to improve their reading comprehension and discover the joy of books by letting them use their phones to explore a range of genres, from African folklore to adventure novels.
As part of the program, parent-child book clubs were established in county libraries, fostering family-friendly environments that emphasize the value of literacy.
Dr. Charles Nzivo, CEO of KNLS, highlighted the vital role of libraries in fostering a reading culture, saying, “Our libraries are gateways to knowledge. Mashujaa wa Kusoma reflects our commitment to making books accessible to all, whether through physical branches or digital platforms like the BookSmart app.”
Worldreader and KNLS intend to take the initiative countrywide in order to reach more communities in Kenya’s 47 counties.
