“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” – African Proverb
The Zenex Foundation’s commitment to improving the quality of education in South Africa has been defined by its long-term partnerships. These have been in the form of purposeful collaborations that go beyond funding to foster learning, reflection, and systemic transformation.
This approach has never been about quick wins, but about walking the journey of impact together with partners who share our vision for meaningful and sustainable change in education.
One of the most profound examples of this collaborative spirit is the Ulwazi Lwethu African Language Graded Readers project – a partnership that has changed the way African language literacy is imagined, developed, and taught in the Foundation Phase.
The Ulwazi Lwethu project was born out of a bold idea: that children learn to read best when they learn in their home language(s), and that the stories and knowledge they encounter in classrooms should reflect the world they know.
This idea was championed by a coalition of organisations led by the Zenex Foundation, including the Nelson Mandela Institute for Education and Rural Development (NMI), Room to Read, Molteno Institute for Language and Literacies, and Saide’s African Storybook Initiative – all working together to fill a critical gap in early literacy materials.
“We needed graded readers developed through African languages, not translated from English. These would be books that speak to the realities and imaginations of our children,” explains Brian Ramadiro, Director at the Nelson Mandela Institute. “And beyond stories, we needed books that explore real-world topics – science, nature, discovery – content that particularly engages young readers who are drawn to factual texts, including boys.”
An Innovation Rooted in Collaboration
The collaboration that birthed Ulwazi Lwethu was itself an innovation. For the first time, multiple literacy organisations pooled their expertise to co-create a shared body of work that could serve the sector broadly.
“None of us had worked together in this way before,” recalls Ramadiro. “It was an innovation in partnership, a space where we could think together, build together, and produce something bigger than what any one organisation could have achieved alone.”
This joint effort produced a rich library of open-source graded readers, books freely accessible online, downloadable on mobile devices, and printable for classroom and community use. The decision to make the materials open-source reflects a shared commitment to equity and access, ensuring that no teacher or learner is left behind.
Importantly, all nine Provincial Education Departments participated in reviewing and approving the readers for content, language, and cultural appropriateness. This process strengthened ownership and awareness in the provincial departments – a step that Ramadiro says was crucial for sustainability.
“We didn’t just want to produce books,” he explains. “We wanted to make sure provinces knew about them, valued them, and could integrate them into their teacher development and literacy strategies. The Ulwazi Lwethu rollout is ongoing, and in provinces like the Eastern Cape, these books are already being printed and distributed to hundreds of schools.”
The NMI is a key implementing partner in the Eastern Cape, alongside Funda Wande and Axium. Together, these organisations are ensuring that the Ulwazi Lwethu readers and related materials are taken to scale by forming part of provincial literacy strategies, reaching more teachers, classrooms, and learners.
Scaling What Works: From Ulwazi Lwethu to Float
Building on the foundation laid by Ulwazi Lwethu, Zenex continues to advance the next phase of literacy innovation through the Float programme – a multi-partner initiative aimed at scaling effective foundational learning practices in literacy and numeracy.
“The work we started with Ulwazi Lwethu is not ending, it’s evolving,” says Ramadiro. “We’re now integrating those materials into the Float programme so that they’re part of the classroom kits teachers receive during training. That’s how we ensure continuity and scale.”
This kind of continuity, where evidence-based tools are carried from pilot to policy, is what the Zenex Foundation means when it speaks about systemic impact. Change is not just about what happens in one project, but how that project reshapes the system itself.
Partnerships that Build Knowledge and Hope
Reflecting on the long arc of collaboration, Kim Porteus, Executive Director at NMI, highlights how partnerships with Zenex have strengthened both research and practice in education.
“Zenex has so clearly positioned itself in African language literacy and mathematics,” says Porteus. “They are not just a funder, but a thinking partner, helping to shape the field and move it forward.”
She explains that the Magic Classroom Collective, NMI’s flagship initiative over the past two decades, exemplifies how evidence, patience, and partnership come together to drive real change.
“Early on, we realised that while there was a lot of teacher training happening, much of it wasn’t landing in classrooms that had been historically under-resourced,” Porteus reflects. “We decided that until we could prove that our materials and pedagogies actually worked in those classrooms, we had no right to train at scale. That’s why partnerships like the one with Zenex have been so critical. They’ve allowed us to walk the long road from research to implementation responsibly.”
This philosophy of learning deeply before scaling broadly has become a cornerstone of Zenex’s own approach. By supporting partners like NMI who prioritise evidence and accountability, Zenex ensures that investments in education are not just widespread, but effective and sustainable.
A Shared Hope for the Future
As the Zenex Foundation celebrates 30 years of impact, both Ramadiro and Porteus share a profound sense of hope about the future of education in South Africa.
“There’s now a much greater understanding across the sector about the role of African languages in teaching and learning,” says Ramadiro. “Zenex has been a key partner in advancing that understanding. They have shown that we cannot build an equitable education system without valuing the languages children speak and think in.”
He adds that the next frontier is expanding teacher training through African languages beyond the Foundation Phase into the Intermediate Phase – a shift he believes is both necessary and achievable.
Porteus echoes this optimism:
“We’ve learned so much over the past 15 years about what works in our classrooms. That knowledge gives teachers better tools, and when teachers experience success, their passion for teaching is reignited. It’s a hopeful time. The future of education in South Africa feels more grounded, more real, and more possible than ever.”
30 Years Forward
The story of Zenex’s partnership with the Nelson Mandela Institute reminds us that transformation takes time, trust, and tenacity. It takes many hands and one vision: a future where every child can read, learn, and dream in their own language.
At Zenex Foundation, we remain steadfast in that vision, working hand-in-hand with partners who share our belief that education is the most powerful lever for equality and progress.
Together, we are not just improving literacy. We are rewriting the story of South Africa’s future, one reader at a time.
