Generation Reader: A student’s story

My name is Tanaka Machaka. I’m 21 years old. I can play soccer, I compete in athletics events, and I’m passionate about reading and writing. 

I was born and raised in Gwanda, so I know the place well. Gwanda sits on a greenstone belt rich in natural resources, especially minerals, so many people here are involved in mining. 

People in my community are collaborative. They help each other when there’s a need. They have strong work ethics and are independent — they prefer to work for themselves and often start their own businesses, so the entrepreneurial spirit is very strong. 

People here lack educational resources. There are no local libraries and very few books. The nearest library is about three kilometres away. If we had greater access to books we wouldn’t have as many school drop-outs. My community has a lot of people who did not complete high school. 

Books gave me the information, knowledge and skills I needed to do well in high school. They guided me in how to live right and helped me perform well academically.

If I had not had access to books I would have failed my O level and probably not progressed to A level and tertiary.

My favourite book is AS Level Mathematics, it helped me pass my A levels mathematics. 

Books have a big role in what I hope to achieve. I read books about giving back to the community, and they inspire me. The more I read the more I learn.  

I want to open my own metallurgical plant here to employ local people and improve their standard of living. I want the community to have access to educational resources.

If I earn enough, I’ll open a library and seek donations from Book Aid International so people here can have books. 

Books are very important. books are a key to achieve academic success. They increase our knowledge, improve comprehension and motivate and entertain us. 

Images ©BookAidInternational/KB Mpofu