Charli Wiggill,
Deputy Principal of Eden College in Durban has created a project that offers
free recordings of children's stories for blind children aged 4 to 10 years.
“My classes began a
project involving reading and recording stories for blind children using mobile
phones as recording devices. The project is young, but already has over 80
stories on the site in seven languages (over 50 stories in English). As a pay
it forward-type project, my classes challenged others to do the same and
stories are now starting to trickle in from around the world. Every day we
receive a few more stories and we upload them to the website.
“Initially only
sighted children were recording, but now adults and celebs have begun reading
as well,” Wiggill continues.
The South African
National Council for the Blind has endorsed this project that was started in the
grade 8 classroom at Eden College. It has featured the project on their website
and in their electronic newspaper. It was also endorsed by the Pay it Forward
Foundation in USA that operates in over 75 countries and also featured on their
website.
The project appeals
to members of the public to support their efforts by reading
Here are a number
of reasons why YOU should consider reading and why should also tell your
friends:
It will only take a
few minutes as the stories are so short (target market of 4 to 10 year-olds)
and the books are simple books with lots of pictures.
Anybody can read
(the youngest so far is 5 years old from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA - and the
oldest, reading in French, is 84 from White River, Mpumalanga)
Supporters may read
in any language and record using a mobile phone, laptop or PC. You can write
your own story should you wish and collaborate and record with some friends. You
can PAY IT FORWARD and challenge your friends to do it too, once you’ve risen
to the challenge
Wiggill welcomes
any correspondence: letters of support to the pupils would be particularly
appreciated as that would convince them of the real-world audience they are
supporting and would encourage and motivate them to put more into the project.
More information
from Charli Wiggill, Deputy Principal: Eden College Durban on Tel: +27 (0)31 205 3357
Posts
