Xolisa Guzula, an early literary specialist, author and translator, says that when children learn to read in their mother tongues, it's much easier to build on that foundation.

However, a survey by the Publishers Association South Africa 2016 highlighted that only approximately 2% of children books published commercially in South Africa are in local African languages.

'Nal'ibali', a national reading for enjoyment campaign that aims to spark children's potential through storytelling and reading, is founded on the ethos of giving children access to stories in their home language.

The campaign firmly believes that literacy skills are a strong predictor of future academic success in all subjects and that children who regularly read and hear engaging stories, in languages they understand, are well equipped and motivated to learn to read and write.

"Cadbury Dairy Milk is rooted in generosity, driven by the genuine desire to act on improving someone else's situation," says Lara Sidersky, Mondelez South Africa's category lead for chocolate.

"We know the ability to read for meaning empowers children to succeed and, although there is a myriad of hurdles that may hinder this, a significant one is the sobering lack of storybooks children have access to in their mother tongues," adds Sidersky.

"We look forward to working with 'Nal'ibali' and the public to create new children's stories in African languages and making them accessible to all South African children. Ultimately, we want to create an impact by igniting a true love for reading amongst our children," says Sidersky.

Guzula says, "Children are naturally intelligent and just need us to create immersive spaces conducive for learning. If there are no African language books in our libraries or homes, how can we blame children for not being able to read?"

Yandiswa Xhakaza from 'Nal'ibali' says that the campaign aims to make reading material accessible to children in their home languages and to create a demand for reading.

"Our primary focus is to bridge the gap between speaking and reading in African languages. We understand that it's not enough to teach children how to read if there's no material for them to engage further with text and start to learn to decode and read for meaning," says Xhakaza.

"We're excited about working with 'Nal'ibali' to give South African children access to stories they can relate to, understand, enjoy and feel empowered by," concludes Sidersky.

For more information, visit www.cadbury.co.za. You can also follow Cadbury on Facebook or on Twitter.