I felt honoured to have been selected as a Muna Kalati Ambassador for 2023-2024. The overall aim of this programme is to encourage and enhance the reading culture in children. This programme resonates so much with me because I am the author of a children’s book. Therefore, I saw it as a golden opportunity for me to advance my personal goals of cultivating a love for reading in children.
![Reading with Children: A Love Story](https://munakalati.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Reading-with-Children-A-Love-Story-.png)
As part of the ambassadorial programme, I had two initiatives in mind: a community library and group reading programme with little ones. The former requires a longer time of implementation, so I decided to focus on the latter.
I decided to visit a couple of educational centres where I could interact with children, such as orphanages and schools” for clarity and formality.
The idea was to introduce them to my book and other books to pique their curiosity concerning environmental issues and other pressing issues.
Photo Credit: Christelle Zami
In the orphanage and charity centres I visited, I was able to donate a couple of copies of my book and spend some time reading with children, discovering new words and reflecting on concrete steps to mitigate or eradicate some of the issues the world is grappling with.
In the schools I visited, the aim was to instil a love for reading in these young students and to spend quality time drawing and writing creatively.
It is always a pleasure for me to meet children who in addition to asking questions about the stories we read together, go the extra-mile by asking me questions about my career, my dreams, what it takes to become an author, etc. This brings so much joy to my heart because I get to realise that we have a responsibility to be role models for this generation. Children look up to us and we must act in such a way that every step we make impacts our society positively. Reading is one of the remarkable ways to positively influence them.
Photo Credit: Christelle Zami
The programme is ending, but our duty continues. We can continue the fight for the next generation to become a better version of our generation. Let’s encourage them to read, discover, reflect, question, create, innovate and become open-minded and critical thinkers. This is what the world needs. It does not come overnight. It requires consistency, discipline, and effort.
Are you a parent? READ A STORY TO YOUR CHILD AT LEAST ONCE A DAY!
Are you a teacher? CREATE SOME TIME FOR YOUR STUDENTS TO VISIT THE LIBRARY AND READ!
Are you an author? CONTINUE TO INSPIRE READERS BY THE AMAZING PIECE YOU WILL WRITE NEXT!
Regardless of your role, you can significantly contribute to your community’s well-being, particularly that of children” for clarity. Help them rediscover the importance of reading, allowing them to embrace reading as an adventure rather than a chore or punishment
As a Muna Kalati Ambassador, I took up the challenge. How about you?
Ami Dovene Christelle Zami