When was the last time you were reduced to tears and overcome by unadulterated hope for the future of our country, the patriotism of our leaders and the battles we wage against racism, high levels of unemployment and crime?
Never have I felt prouder to be a South African than when I read Children’s Letters to President Zuma.
The book comprises letters from pupils from Alpha Primary School, Arcadia Primary, Boikanyo Primary, Emthanjeni Primary School, Glenstantia Primary, Greyville Primary, Parkhust Primary, Meyerspark Primary, Skuilkrans Primary, Victory Park Comprehensive School and White River Primary.
Pupils of all genders, racial and social backgrounds, from grades five to seven, participated in Mukanda Mabonso Mulemfo’s initiative to write freely to President Jacob Zuma on any subject of their choosing.
The book is compiled by Mulemfo, with a foreword by Zukiswa Wanner, writer and founder of ReadSA.
It opens with a poem by 13-year-old Tayla Brown, who writes: “You are the music in my heart, you are gorgeous.”
Apart from reflecting awareness of the backlog in service delivery and the need for jobs, the letters also also show an interest in the kind of person Zuma is. “You smile bright, day and night, I think of you. What are you like? Do you like to hike?” asks 11-year-old Taliah Day.
“What do you do every day? When do you play with your kids? Do you help them with their homework?” Gawie Roux, 10, wants to know.
In many of the letters, the children not only voice their concerns, but also provide solutions to perceived problems. Andre Denoon believes sport should be seen as a major priority as it can help to alleviate crime and unemployment.
“Camps should be set up in each province, scholar-ships for schools, emotional and psychological support,” the 13-year-old writes.
Children’s Letters to President Zuma is one of a growing series of five books – Thabo Mbeki and the Children, The Story of Kgalema Motlanthe, The Story of Barack Obama and The Story of Denis Sassou Nguesso – which Mulemfo has compiled specifically for children.
“When I started, I wanted to write about the African Renaissance, but I saw that there is not enough African literature for children,” he said.
After writing three books pertaining to the renais-sance, he discovered a calling to write children’s literature. In the books on Motlanthe, Obama and Sassou Nguesso, the narrator, Uncle Bongani, sits beneath an enormous tree and tells a group of youngsters tales of their leaders, highlighting the positive traits that led to their success.
Mulemfo describes the content as a discussion between children and elders.
He believes that the media exposes children to their leaders’ negative attributes when, in fact, so many positive traits can be extracted from their stories to inspire youngsters.
His goal is to get children to read.
“Authors write for adults and it is like saying to children: ‘Okay, don’t read now. You can read when you are older’. It won’t work unless we have created a culture of reading,” he said.
Mulemfo has a higher diploma in teaching and a PhD in Signs of Missions, which is a branch of Theology. He has worked with more than 140 schools in six of the country’s provinces.
In 2000, he founded the Family Institute of South Africa, which was meant to enhance the well-being of teachers, equipping them with skills to help themselves, their pupils and their communities. Mulemfo views the school as an extended part of the family and has himself given guidance to more than 500 teachers through his workshops.
He also initiated an exchange programme that has seen more than 70 pupils and teachers from Sweden visit South African schools, and vice versa.
Originally from the Republic of Congo, he arrived in South Africa in 1991. He attributes his love for working with people to his family and sees his work as the kind of responsibility every African who wants to see a brighter future for the continent should take on.
“African governments should not just talk, but invest in educa-tion. It should be a dedication and priority. They should be consistent when saying children are our future leaders,” he said.
He also argues that black people should start buying books for their children and start reading to and with them.
I cannot think of a better book to start with than Children’s Letters to President Zuma. The book will give children a sense of how their peers feel about political issues and make them question their own points of view.
The people who need to read this book the most, however, are politicians and the president himself. Just how conscious kids are about their country and fellow South Africans could come as a shock that will put a lot into perspective for our leaders.
Children’s Letters to President Zuma is the most memorable book I’ve read this year.
l Mulemfo is self-published and works hard to distribute his children’s books to disadvantaged communities. For more info on his initiatives, or to order, or donate copies of his books, e-mail: [email protected], or visit www.africareading.com. The books sell at R100 a copy.