As South Africa commemorates the 125th anniversary of Charlotte Maxeke’s historic graduation, Chairperson of the Charlotte Mannya-Maxeke Institute, Thulasizwe Makhanya, is urging children to embrace reading as a pathway to a brighter future.
Makhanya was speaking at the Kliptown Youth Centre in Soweto yesterday, where the institute launched initiatives aimed at promoting literacy and educational empowerment among young people.
He encouraged learners to work hard and remain committed to their education, regardless of their circumstances.
“For you to achieve something, it is not because of your background. You need to go out of your way to achieve something,” he said.
Makhanya added that the organisation’s mission is to empower disadvantaged children through education and literacy programmes.
“As we are here, we want to connect with the community of Kliptown and the rest of the country through what we call the National Reading Campaign,” he said.
Olga Mannya Sema, the granddaughter of South African struggle icon Charlotte Mannya Maxeke, said she remains proud of the remarkable legacy her grandmother left behind for future generations.
Sema described Maxeke’s legacy as a powerful symbol of perseverance, empowerment and the transformative role of education.
“If she was around, she would be happy that children are being given a chance to read because it leads to knowing a lot about what is happening around the world,” she said.
Charlotte Maxeke made history in 1901 when she became the first Black South African woman to obtain a university degree after graduating from Wilberforce University in the United States. Her achievement continues to inspire generations of South Africans more than a century later.
