The school library is now the most comfortable and inviting place at Samuel Ntsiko Primary, thanks to a group of Standard Bank staff who recently set up a colourful, welcoming reading corner there.
The Bank’s corporate social investment division – making use of its Employee Volunteer Programme as well as an external service provider – RAK Events, has been setting up school libraries in Primary Schools across the country for the past three years.
The aim is to cultivate a love of reading among the learners in the Foundation Phase – with the aim of improving literacy levels among learners in those grades.
The school that’s selected identifies an available classroom or other space that will be suitable to set up a library. Alternatively, the school identifies three classrooms in which library corners are established.
The RAK Events team then goes into the schools to prepare the classroom: it’s is cleaned, painted and general repairs are taken care of where necessary.
The outlines of library related wall art is painted on to the walls and shelving is custom-made to kit out the library.
The Standard Bank employee volunteers complete the project by providing the final touches to the library or Reading Corners. 
At Samuel Ntsiko Primary School, Standard Bank employees volunteered their time, skill and passion to put the finishing touches to the library.
They made reading corner cushions, ottomans and tyre chairs for the children to sit on; they painted the unique tetras shelving, painted inside the vibrant library related wall art outlines, put in new shelving, sorted the new books and finally put the books on the shelves.
They created a cozy reading corner especially for the little ones, by placing the mat in the corner close to the coloured shelving units with the ottomans and reading corner cushions.
The Standard Bank employees have bee encouraged to “adopt” the school library and re-visit the school to run literacy activities such as Reading Circle and Comprehension Days.
Principal Nombuilelo Koliti was thrilled.
“Standard Bank revamped our library completely,” Koliti said. “We could not believe it was the same space. It is wonderful to have such fabulous work done for us. We are so grateful to Standard Bank,” she said. “We are now giving an impact report as feedback.”
