Age
17
Country of Residence
South Africa
Founding Story: What was the spark that led you to start your project? What was the "Aha!" moment that led you to get started and see the potential for this to succeed?
The spark behind But Books Can’t Speak came from my belief that young people deserve more than simply being told to study. I began thinking about how access to books and meaningful reading spaces could change how young people see themselves, their communities and their future. My “Aha!” moment came when I realised that a book can contain knowledge, powerful stories and different perspectives, but it cannot speak for itself. Someone has to open it, engage with it and carry what they learn into the real world. I started asking myself: What if reading could become more than just an academic activity? What if it could create conversations, build confidence and encourage young people to take action in their communities? That question became the foundation of But Books Can’t Speak (BBCS). I chose the name because it represents exactly what I wanted to change. I wanted young people to become the voices behind the knowledge they discover in books. I wanted them to read, think, discuss, speak and eventually act. I was also motivated by what I saw around me: young people with ideas, potential and ambition, but not always enough opportunities or platforms to express themselves and contribute to their communities. Instead of waiting for someone else to create that platform, I decided to start building it myself.
How do you encourage other people to join your project or learn about the problem you’re working on? If you have a new idea, tell us how you will do this in the future.
BBCS is still at an early stage, so we have not yet started our planned reading activities. However, I have already shared the idea with people who believe in the importance of reading, youth development and community involvement. I have also started engaging with schools and education stakeholders to explore opportunities for BBCS to reach young people. As we begin, we will encourage others to join by making it easy for young people, volunteers, mentors and community members to contribute. Young people will be able to participate in reading activities, discussions and outreach, while volunteers and mentors can help facilitate sessions and support younger readers. We will also use social media, WhatsApp and community networks to share information about BBCS, the importance of reading and the challenges young people face when they have limited access to books and meaningful learning spaces. Our goal is not only to recruit people, but to help them understand that they can be part of the solution. Through BBCS, we want people to move from simply learning about the problem to taking part in creating opportunities for others. As the project grows, we will track how many young people, volunteers, mentors, schools and community partners become involved and what roles they play in helping BBCS grow.
How many people are on your team?
5
Impact: How has your project created impact / made a difference so far? Or, if at an early stage, what will impact look like?
BBCS is currently at an early stage and has not yet begun its planned reading activities, so we do not want to claim impact that we have not achieved. At this stage, our impact is reflected in the foundation we have built and our preparation to begin working directly with young people. Our first goal is to create accessible reading opportunities for young people in underserved communities and give them spaces where they can read, discuss ideas and express themselves. As the project develops, we aim to reach young people through schools, community spaces, volunteers and mentors. We will measure our impact through the number of young people participating, reading activities conducted, books accessed, volunteers and mentors involved, and schools or community partners reached. We will also look beyond numbers by listening to participants and observing whether young people become more confident in reading, communication, critical thinking and community participation. Our longer-term goal is for BBCS to help young people move from simply consuming knowledge to using knowledge to understand problems and contribute to solutions in their communities. Because the project is still at an early stage, our current focus is on building the partnerships, team and resources needed to make that impact possible.
Project Category
My project is an existing project that I started
Project Stage
Idea (We’re hoping to get started in the future)
Project Summary: Describe your project in one sentence
But Books Can’t Speak (BBCS) is a youth-led initiative using books and reading to empower young people in underserved communities. We create spaces where young people can read, share ideas, build confidence and develop leadership skills. We believe books provide knowledge, but young people must use that knowledge to create change in their communities.
Project title
But Books Can’t Speak
The Problem: What problem are you helping to solve? Why does it matter to you and your community?
Many young people in underserved communities face limited access to books, reading opportunities and spaces where they can freely exchange ideas and develop their confidence. Reading can sometimes be treated mainly as something learners do for school, rather than as a tool for discovering new perspectives, understanding society and finding their own voices. The problem is not only access to books. It is also the lack of opportunities for young people to engage with what they read, discuss issues that affect them and use their knowledge to participate in their communities. When young people do not have these opportunities, their ideas and potential can remain unheard. This matters to me because I am part of the same generation and community I want to serve. I have seen that young people have creativity, opinions and the ability to lead, but they need platforms and supportive environments where those qualities can grow. I believe that improving access to reading and meaningful learning experiences can help young people become more confident, informed and willing to participate in solving problems around them. BBCS exists because I want to help create those opportunities. We are not only trying to encourage young people to read; we want them to use what they learn to think critically, speak with confidence and realise that they can contribute to positive change.
Website URL(s) or social media handles.
What’s Next: What are the next steps you plan to take to grow or strengthen your project over the next year? If your project is still in the idea stage, describe the steps you will take over the next three months to launch or begin developing it.
Over the next year, our main goal is to move BBCS from preparation into active work with young people. We will begin by strengthening our team, confirming clear responsibilities and preparing the resources needed for our first reading activities. We plan to build partnerships with schools, community organisations and education stakeholders so that we can reach young people in underserved communities. We will work with these partners to identify suitable spaces, understand the needs of young people and create opportunities for reading and discussion. We will then launch our first reading activities, where young people can read books, discuss ideas, share their opinions and connect what they learn to issues in their communities. We also plan to involve volunteers and mentors who can support reading sessions and help young people develop confidence and leadership skills. As the project grows, we will track participation, activities, books accessed, volunteers involved and partnerships developed. We will also collect feedback from participants to understand what is working and what needs to improve. By the end of the year, we hope to have established BBCS as a growing youth-led initiative with active partnerships, regular reading activities and a stronger team. Our long-term goal is to expand to more schools and communities.
Your Innovation: What is different about your project compared to other programs or solutions already out there? How is your project new or innovative?
What makes But Books Can’t Speak (BBCS) different is that we do not see reading as the final goal. We see it as the beginning of changemaking. Many reading and literacy initiatives focus on improving reading skills or increasing access to books. BBCS builds on this by asking a further question: What happens after a young person reads the book? Our approach connects reading with critical thinking, conversation, self-expression and community participation. We want young people to take what they discover in books and connect it to the issues they experience in their own communities. The name “But Books Can’t Speak” represents this idea. A book can contain knowledge, different perspectives and powerful stories, but it cannot speak or take action on its own. Young people have to become the bridge between what is written on the page and what happens in their communities. Our model is therefore simple: Read → Think → Discuss → Speak → Act. We are also making the project youth-led. Young people are not only participants receiving a service; they can become volunteers, facilitators, mentors and leaders within the initiative. This gives them the opportunity to develop leadership while helping other young people. BBCS is also designed around the reality of our community. Rather than depending only on formal programmes, we want to work through schools, community spaces, volunteers, mentors and partnerships to bring reading and youth participation closer to young people. Our innovation is therefore not a new type of book or reading technology. It is a different way of using something as accessible and powerful as a book: as a starting point for young people to develop their voices, understand their communities and see themselves as capable of creating change.
Your Solution: How are you solving this problem? Share your specific solution.
But Books Can’t Speak (BBCS) addresses this problem by creating youth-led reading and learning opportunities where books become a starting point for conversation, confidence and community action. We work to connect young people with books and create spaces where they can read, discuss what they have learned, share their opinions and learn from one another. Instead of treating young people only as recipients of books or educational support, BBCS encourages them to become active participants in the project. Our solution works through several activities. We engage with schools and community stakeholders to identify opportunities to bring reading activities closer to young people. We involve volunteers and mentors who help facilitate activities, encourage participation and support younger readers. We also create opportunities for young people to take responsibility within the initiative through volunteering, facilitating discussions, mentoring and outreach. A key part of our approach is connecting reading with real-life issues. After reading, young people are encouraged to think about what the ideas, stories or lessons mean for their own lives and communities. They can discuss problems they see around them, share possible solutions and learn that their voices have value. Our approach can be summarised as: Read → Think → Discuss → Speak → Act. The goal is not simply to increase the number of young people who read books. We want to develop young people who can use knowledge confidently, communicate their ideas and participate in improving their communities. As BBCS grows, we plan to strengthen our school and community partnerships, expand our reading activities, involve more volunteers and mentors, increase access to books.
Your team: What role(s) do your team members play? How do you share leadership with them?
Our team has 5 members, with each person contributing to a different part of BBCS. I provide overall leadership and direction as the founder, while other team members support areas such as mentoring, facilitation, outreach, administration and volunteering. We share leadership by giving each member responsibility for their role and encouraging them to contribute ideas and decisions. I want every team member to feel that they have ownership of the project and that their contribution matters.
