147,496 children in 836 schools across 40 counties participated, backed by 2,337 Reading Ambassadors took part in the Storymoja Read Aloud initiative on June 16, 2022.
In 2013, the Storymoja Read Aloud campaign was started to get kids from as many schools around Kenya as possible to read from the same text at the same time. The selected text Attack of the Shidas by Muthoni Muchemi was read on June 16, the International Day of the African child. Since then, the annual activity has brought together kids from all over Kenya to read aloud to break a world record. It has been an inspired way to get them enthusiastic about reading. By 2021, the number of readers after a Covid-19-inspired hiatus was 73,481.
For 2022, children across the country dusted off the designated text Shambulizi la Akina Shida which is the Kiswahili translation of the Muthoni Muchemi written Attack of the Shidas. Leading to June, there were events like virtual panels and in-person events that drummed up enthusiasm. During that period, 2337 reading ambassadors signed up to support kids in the reading exercise. All this activity is now run by the Start A Library Trust.
The results tabulated by the Reading Aloud team are now out. 147,496 children in 836 schools across 40 counties participated, backed by 2,337 Reading Ambassadors took part. This is just over double those who took part in the previous year. Congratulations to all who took part and hopefully we shall see even higher numbers.
Here are some sights and sounds from the day;
Here are the partners who signed up;
1. Ministry of Sports, Culture, and Heritage
2. Department of Library Services
3. Kenya National Library Services
4. Kenya Revenue Authority
5. All for Books
6. Kenya Society for the Blind
7. Christian Blind Mission
8. Elimu Fanaka
9. Edu Tab Africa
10. The Writers Pen
11. Kenya Connect
12. Goethe Institute
13. Lulu FM
14. Rift Valley Readers Association (RVRA)
15. Legal Sister
16. Kesho Kenya
17. JF Omange Community Center
18. Manene Radio
19. Re- Imagining New Communities
20. Maono Africa
21. Rainbow Room Foundation
22. Sauti Kuu Foundation
23. Afribuk
24. IVTG (Inua Village to Global Foundation)
25. University of Nairobi Students Association
26. Crowe
27. Rafiki wa Maendeleo Trust
28. Radio Nam Lolwe
29. Storymakers Society
30. Radio Nam Lolwe
31. Sol Kids
32. Worldreader EA
33. Storymakers Society
34. Africa’s Talking
35. Ituĩka
36. Smiles of Hope Kenya
37. Maramoja Transport
38. Ramco Printing
39. Modern Lithographic Kenya Limited
40. Samba Sports Youth Agenda
41. Camara Education Kenya
42. Sun Books
43. Moving the goalposts
44. Jubilee Insurance
45. Kiwimbi Kenya Library
46. Bridge International
47. Aga Khan Foundation
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