Alert! The Project for the Study of Alternative Education in South Africa (PRAESA) has won the 2015 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award.
PRAESA is an independent research and development unit affiliated with the University of Cape Town. Established by the late Neville Alexander in 1992, this organisation opens new routes into the world of books and literature for young readers in South Africa with a variety of literacy and reading initiatives.
One of the notable projects driven by PRAESA is the Nal’ibali campaign which is known and loved by many across the country.
The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award “was founded by the Swedish government in 2003 to honour Astrid Lindgren, the author of the much-loved Pippi Longstocking books. The prize aims to promote literature for kids and teens from all over the world which displays ‘a profound respect for democratic values and human rights’,” The Guardian reports.
PRAESA was one of 197 nominees from over 60 countries, including South African writer Beverley Naidoo, UK author Neil Gaiman, and various international organisations, including the International Youth Library and Letterbox Library.
In the history of the prize the award has only ever gone to an organisation once before, with Tamer Institute for Community Education in Palestine winning in 2009. The award exists to honour authors, illustrators, oral storytellers and reading promoters for encouraging interest in children’s and young adult literature around the world. The prize money amounts to SEK 5 million, approximately 760 000 USD or EUR 570 000, making this the largest award for children’s and young adult literature in the world.
Congratulations to PRAESA – we are proud of your achievement!
Based in Cape Town, PRAESA (Project for the Study of Alternative Education in South Africa) is an organisation that has worked to promote reading and literature for children and young people in South Africa since 1992.
The Jury’s Citation reads:
With the joy of reading as its compass point, PRAESA opens new routes into the world of books and literature for young readers in South Africa. Through innovative reading and storytelling projects, PRAESA brings people together and brings literature in multiple languages alive. PRAESA’s outstanding work shows the world the crucial role of books and stories in creating rich, full lives for our children and young people.
The Project for the Study of Alternative Education in South Africa (PRAESA) has won the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award 2015.
Based in Cape Town, PRAESA is a charity which works to promote reading for children and young people across South Africa. Since they were set up in 1992, they have produced the Little Hands books, a series of short books in different African languages to encourage children to read in their native languages, and also set up the Vulindlela Reading Club, which combines oral storytelling with reading, singing games, and dramatizations.
Related links:
Book details
- Interviews with Neville Alexander: The Power of Languages Against the Language of Power by Brigitta Busch, Lucijan Busch and Karen Press
Book homepage
EAN: 9781869142773
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- Our Story Magic by Gcina Mhlope
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EAN: 978186914110
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Image courtesy of Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award