On May 26th this year, the South Africa Primary Education Support Initiative (SAPESI), a non-profit organisation based in South Africa and Sony Corporation announced Sony’s support for the ‘South Africa Mobile Library Project’. This project was jointly launched by SAPESI and the South African Department of Education as part of the Department of Education’s efforts to improve literacy levels by loaning books to pupils and teachers at primary and middle schools across the country. Sony will make a financial contribution to SAPESI in support of the project’s operations, and will also donate used children’s books collected at six Sony Group companies located in English-speaking regions. The six Sony Group companies are Sony Australia, Sony Hong Kong, Sony New Zealand, Sony Singapore, Sony South Africa and Sony UK. The Mobile Library Project started with 21 vehicles that were donated and imported from Japan. A further 14 vehicles are planned to be added this year. In schools, children start to learn alphabet reading and writing in their mother language during grade 1~2, and in grade 3 they start to learn English (which is the formal language of their education moving forward). In this sense, the acquisition and development of English is very important for them, and it can be reinforced through English book reading. Availability of libraries is limited and most parents do not have funds to buy English books for their children. It is with this in mind that the Mobile Libraries help meet an important need by visiting several schools, bringing books to teachers and children who would otherwise not have access to such learning materials.

Sony South Africa staff actively support and participate in the Mobile Library Project through two ways – donation of English books for children up to the age of 14 and preparation of books that have already been donated. Staff are encouraged to donate picture books, word books and story books for children learning to read as well as encyclopaedias and reference books. Preparation of books involves cataloguing books using a software package and then covering them with plastic to protect and keep them in good shape for the countless children who will borrow them from the Mobile Libraries. ‘The worth of a book is to be measured by what you can carry away from it’ – James Bryce.