On Saturday 7th February, NABU joined our partner Maisha Yangu Organization in Kawangware, Nairobi, for a World Read Aloud Day celebration with 21 children aged 8 to 12 — and the energy in the room made clear that these children were ready to read.
A Space Built for Learning
Maisha Yangu has built something genuinely meaningful in one of Nairobi's most densely populated informal settlements: a structured, safe after-school environment where children have access to a library, consistent academic support, and the kind of stability that allows learning to take root. Their work gives children the foundation that makes moments like this one possible.
Together, we gathered around Dance of Courage available on the app in Swahili, French and English. The children read aloud with confidence, moving between languages naturally, and the discussion that followed was lively and thoughtful.
That is what happens when children encounter books that are genuinely theirs — written in the languages they speak, set in worlds they recognize, centered on characters whose dreams mirror their own. Mother-tongue literacy isn't a pedagogical preference; it is the difference between a child who reads and a child who reads with understanding, engagement, and belief in what reading can do for them.
Reading aloud session at Maisha Yangu in Nairobi
Why This Partnership Works
This is why the NABU and Maisha Yangu partnership works. Community organisations like Maisha Yangu create the trusted, consistent spaces where children feel safe to learn. NABU brings culturally relevant, multilingual books that meet children in those spaces. Together, we give children not just access to stories, but a genuine connection to them.
The Work Continues
World Read Aloud Day is one occasion. The work of expanding mother-tongue book access is ongoing and how we close the literacy gap for good.
Start Your Reading Journey
Ready to dive into the story? Here's how you can access Dance of Courage and other NABU books:
Download the NABU App on the App Store or Google Play
Read free stories in over 40 languages at read.nabu.org
Watch our read-alouds on YouTube: Read With NABU
Donate
Your donation makes a difference. Join us in our mission to ensure every child has equal access to literacy and learning resources.
THE IMPACT OF YOUR GIFT
NABU is free for children, families, and teachers, thanks to our generous donors. Your donation can make a big difference:
- $25 monthly subscription for one child: Provide access to the NABU app and hundreds of bilingual books for a child and their family
- $45 monthly subscription for one classroom: Gift NABU to a teacher for use in their classrooms to support student learning
- $1,500 to publish a children's book: Support our professional development initiatives, training local artists to create culturally relevant stories for children in their communities, with translations into 25 languages
- $5,000 to sponsor a country-wide children's radio program:Expand our impact through storytelling radio programs across an entire country