Nearly 2,000 children spent time reading in a temporary library set up at Institut Maman Sifa in the N’Sele commune of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
This happened during the N’Sele Reading Festival, held from May 23 to 25, 2025, in this suburban-rural area in the eastern part of the capital. Around twenty nearby schools were invited to take part in this event, which aimed to instill a love of reading among students.
For more than half of the participants, it was their very first time setting foot in a library and reading a book.
A Variety of Activities to Inspire a Love for Books
Throughout these three lively and educational days, a range of activities were organized, including:
- Interactive reading sessions
- Individual reading time
- Painting workshops
- Poetry performances
- Contests and quizzes
- Prize giveaways
- And a cultural performance by the musical group Les Léopards
The children also expressed themselves through beautiful poems addressing themes such as peace, teacher appreciation, and more.
A Festival with Civic and Environmental Impact
Beyond reading, the Festival served as a platform to raise environmental awareness among the children. They actively participated in cleaning up the schoolyard after heavy rains, demonstrating their sense of community responsibility.
Strong Community Engagement
The Festival was supported by the presence of several local figures, including:
- The representative of the Bourgmestre of N’Sele
- The provincial education authority of Plateau
- The parent committee of Institut Maman Sifa
- Officials from Airtel, the main sponsor of the event
- And several other institutional and community partners
A Pilot Project Opening New Horizons
For the team of librarians from Liziba ya Mayele, the objective was fully achieved. The children eagerly returned day after day, asking for more. They wanted to read, read, and read…
The N’Sele Reading Festival is part of the “Tanga Kelasi” tour , Tanga Kelasi means “Go to School” in lingala, one of the four national languages in Congo, by the music group Les Léopards, a campaign using patriotic songs to fight against negative behaviors in schools.
Looking ahead, the goal is to keep this cultural momentum alive in N’Sele. Reading clubs will soon be organized to nurture this new passion for books among children.
Discussions are also underway with local authorities for the establishment of a permanent library in this part of Kinshasa.
Partners involved: Airtel, Liziba ya Mayele Library, Naviprojects LLC, Au pied de l’avion, MJEC, Bibliothèque Kongo, Fondation Gims, Collectif la Reine des Arts, Geste qui compte, Kin tacos.
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