A new chapter begins at North Crest Primary School

Standing in the newly transformed Foundation Phase Library at North Crest Primary School, librarian Candice Olwage could hardly believe how far the space had come. 

“It’s been about two months of work,” she said. “When we started, there were boxes of books everywhere. We had to decide which books could stay, which couldn’t, catalogue the new books and remove the old ones. Then came the decorating, which has been absolutely amazing.” 

The result is a colourful, welcoming library that promises to inspire generations of young readers, thanks to a partnership between Ignition Group and The LEARN Project. 

The transformation included new flooring, colourful furnishings and carefully designed reading spaces created specifically for young learners. And that doesn’t count the thousands of new books, the beautiful mural adorning the walls and all the thoughtful touches added along the way. 

“When you look at it now, it’s so worth it,” said Olwage. “The kids are just going to absolutely love coming in here. They’ve always enjoyed visiting the reading room, but now it’s going to be, ‘I want to go to the reading room.’ Every detail has been thought about.” 

The launch brought together educators, volunteers, community members and learners who had all contributed to making the project a reality. 

Speaking on behalf of Ignition Group, Head of Group Marketing Samantha Botha reminded learners that the library belongs to them. 

“Kids, today is a really special day because this library you’re about to see belongs to you,” she said. 

“Books are very powerful things. When you open a book, you can go anywhere in the world. You can be anyone. Every single book in this library has a story where you can be the main character.” 

Botha also thanked The LEARN Project for its vision and dedication to improving literacy across South Africa. 

“To Ros from The LEARN Project, thank you. You are the reason this library is a reality and the work that you and your team do for kids across this country is incredible. We are proud to be part of it.” 

The North Crest library is part of a broader commitment by Ignition Group to create opportunities for South Africans through literacy, education and digital inclusion. 

Ignition Group’s mission is to facilitate participation in the digital economy by empowering people and communities with the skills, resources and technology they need to succeed. While much of that work focuses on connectivity, technology and innovation, meaningful participation begins with literacy. Before a child can navigate the digital economy, they need the ability to read, learn, imagine and grow. 

For several years, Ignition Group has partnered with The LEARN Project to create libraries and digital learning spaces that make a meaningful difference to learners, educators and communities. The North Crest Foundation Phase Library is the fifth literacy project delivered through the partnership and represents another step towards building brighter futures through education. 

The project also inspired Ignition employees to get involved directly. During dedicated volunteer days, Ignitioners rolled up their sleeves to clean, sort, cover and prepare thousands of books for young readers. 

Those contributions, combined with the efforts of educators, volunteers, parents and community members, helped transform an ordinary room into a space designed to spark curiosity, creativity and a lifelong love of reading. 

For Ros Toerien of The LEARN Project, those contributions represented the power of partnership in action. The completed library was far more than a renovated room. Watching learners explore the space brought tears of joy and emotion as years of planning, collaboration and community support came together. 

Another significant contributor to the project was neighbouring Northlands Primary School, whose learners, parents and staff helped bring the vision to life. 

Former Northlands librarian Emma Pennefather explained that the journey began after meeting Toerien and learning more about The LEARN Project. 

Inspired by the vision of creating a meaningful literacy space, Pennefather approached Northlands Principal Alistair Naidu with the idea of supporting North Crest. 

The Northlands community quickly rallied behind the initiative. Learners, parents and staff worked together to collect, clean, cover and label books, ultimately contributing more than 6 000 books to the project. 

Dr Mawi Mhlongo, the Deputy Chief Education Specialist for Teacher Development at the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education, echoed the sentiment of hope and possibility during the launch. 

“This library has been given a new purpose. It is a place of exceptional possibilities,” she said. 

“When we invest in libraries, we are investing in confidence, in creativity, in hope, in the future of every child who walks through those doors.” 

She praised the school’s leadership for championing literacy and thanked the community members who support reading programmes at the school. 

Addressing the learners directly, she encouraged them to embrace everything the library has to offer. 

“Learners, use this library. It’s yours. Value it. Protect it. Let it make you dream bigger.” 

Her closing words captured the true significance of the project. 

“The true success of this library will be measured in the dreams it unlocks, the confidence it builds and the futures it improves.” 

For the learners of North Crest Primary School, those dreams now have a beautiful new home.