Small Books, Big Futures: How Families in Eswatini are Reading Together

In the rural inkhundla (subdivision) of Sithobela, nestled in Eswatini's Lubombo region, a mother settles beside her four-year-old son after a long day. She holds a small SiSwati picture book, and he softly asks, "Ngicela ufundze emake"-please read. Within minutes, their quiet room fills with questions, laughter, and new words. As they close the book, he looks up and says, "Tomorrow again." In that simple moment, reading transforms into an act of love, and a new daily tradition begins.

Reading to your child is more than a cherished ritual- it's a fundamental pillar of child development. Studies consistently show that children who are read to regularly develop stronger language abilities, improved attention spans, and a lifelong love of learning. One study found that children who are read to are able to gain multiple dimensions of information- not just new words, but the ability to extract moral lessons and recall story details from picture books, thus fostering readiness for school.

But perhaps most importantly, these shared moments with a book create lasting memories - moments filled with curiosity, laughter, and meaningful connection that strengthen the unique bond between parent and child. According to the latest Eswatini Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (2022), although most children under five in the country have access to toys and play materials, only 2% were found to own three or more children's books.

To address this significant gap, Eswatini's Ministry of Education, with support from the World Bank, launched a pilot initiative in 2025 aimed at delivering books directly to households-focusing especially on rural and hard-to-reach communities. This effort is part of the Strengthening Early Childhood Development and Basic Education Systems to Support Human Capital Development in Eswatini Project. It was guided by a clear vision: to provide every young child with the opportunity to build a strong foundation for learning through access to early literacy resources.

The Read@Home Pilot: A National Commitment to Early Literacy

Led by the Ministry of Education and Training and implemented through Bantwana (an NGO), the Read@Home pilot reached caregivers of children aged 0-5 years-especially families whose children weren't yet in formal early childhood programs. The initiative unfolded across four tinkhundlas: Maseyisini, Mayiwane, Mafutseni, and Sithobela.

So far, the program has provided:

• 8,730 age-appropriate books in both SiSwati and English to 546 caregivers reaching more than 737 children.
• Home visits and group coaching sessions to train caregivers on best practices for reading with children.
• Training for teachers in Early Childhood Care, Development, and Education (ECCDE) centers to support literacy-rich environments.

The Impact: Stories of transformation

Preliminary findings indicate promising outcomes. Seventy-eight percent of caregivers of children aged 3-5 reported increased reading frequency with their children since receiving books and participating in caregiver coaching sessions. Observational site visits to households further verified that shared reading has become a valued daily routine, often regarded as a highlight of the day. A Grade Zero teacher from Mafutseni observed notable improvements in children's vocabularies and early literacy skills following even brief exposure to books at home, while parents have expressed greater confidence in supporting learning activities. Reflecting on the program's impact, Ms. Gule, a mother from Sithobela, commented that her son now exhibits significant interest in reading and independently prompts her to read together.

An inspiring discovery

The pilot revealed a powerful truth: even in homes with few resources, families can make reading a priority. Many caregivers used whatever materials they had - newspapers, magazines, church bulletins, or the Bible. What mattered wasn't having perfect books but sharing words and stories together. For instance, from the baseline survey, Sithobela recorded the highest caregiver engagement, with nearly half of families reading three times a week or more.

Cultivating a culture of reading

At the start of 2024, Eswatini's Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini highlighted the importance of literacy, posting on social media that "reading is an integral part of an individual's development. In particular, we should invest in reading local and African stories."

His words have found practical expression in the Read@Home initiative, which has demonstrated that emaSwati parents can successfully instill a culture of reading and a love for books from an early age.

As the Read@Home pilot draws to a close, the time has come to extract valuable lessons on fostering reading habits across families, communities, and the nation at large. Several promising strategies have emerged: facilitating the circulation of age-appropriate books among families and leveraging existing community structures-such as faith-based organizations-as distribution points and gathering spaces for book sharing. These approaches offer a roadmap for scaling the impact of the Read@Home initiative to more communities.

You can start today:

Read aloud for just 10 minutes each day. Short, regular sessions create lasting impact. Choose a time that works for your family, before bed, after breakfast, or whenever you can sit together. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single page turned to.

This feature was written by Mahlubi Ntsetselelo Dlamini, Junior Professional Associate, World Bank.