​The Gauteng Department of Social Development marked its 2nd annual World Book Day Commemoration on Saturday, 17 May 2025,  with a vibrant and engaging event hosted at the Desmond Tutu Child and Youth Care Centre (CYCC) in the Northern Corridor.

Addressing the youth, Sithembile Ndlovu, a Child and Youth Care Worker at Desmond Tutu CYCC, emphasized the importance of consistent reading and encouraged the children to develop a reading routine.


“Make it a habit to read at least two books per week, ”she said. “Ask Youth Care Workers to take you to the library and always share what you’ve read with your peers, it might inspire them to read too.”


Simphiwe Nzama, Assistant Director for Institutions, reinforced the importance of storytelling and reading as both an educational and cultural tool.

World Book Day, celebrated globally on April 23rd, aims to foster a culture of reading and storytelling, and the Department used the occasion to inspire a lifelong love of books among children from CYCCs. The theme for the day centred around book analysis and knowledge sharing to help improve vocabulary, critical thinking, and global awareness.


Children from various CYCCs, who are part of the Department’s growing Book Club initiative, participated in lively reading sessions where they reviewed and shared lessons from their chosen books. The event promoted not only literacy but also personal growth, confidence, and peer-to-peer learning.


“Reading builds linguistic skills and helps children understand diversity. People still learn through stories, be it in theatre, books, or real-life experiences. Make reading fashionable and learn to speak confidently,” he encouraged.


Several children took the stage to share their reflections:

Tiro Molefe from Desmond Tutu CYCC spoke about BFFs: Stage Fright by Holly Robins and said the book taught her the value of kindness and taking care of one another.
Sizwe Ndlovu, also from Desmond Tutu CYCC, read Golden Windows by Adele Geras and learned the importance of knowing one's roots and nurturing strong family relationships.
Girly Maseko from Don Mattera CYCC shared her insights from Young Women by Jonathan & Ana Gallagher. She explored the theme of self-awareness and posed a powerful question to the audience:

“If given a minute to describe yourself, what would you say? Are you caring, kind, wise, and thoughtful? If you don’t know who you are, how can anyone else?”

The event successfully highlighted reading as a tool for empowerment, identity-building, and connection and left the children inspired to continue their journey of discovery through books.

*Not their real names