Are you South Africa’s next Story Bosso?

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Stories have the power to change the world for the better, and a nation that reads is one that is empowered. Nal’ibali, which encourages storytelling and reading, is hosting a nationwide competition to find the next Story Bosso title holder. People can submit stories in all 11 official languages.
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Nal’ibali encourages people to enter the Story Bosso competition during September, which is also Literacy Month in South Africa. (Image: Screengrab via YouTube)

Compiled by Priya Pitamber

September means it is Heritage Month and Literacy Month in South Africa. To acknowledge both, a nationwide storytelling talent search is under way to find the country’s next Story Bosso title holder. It celebrates South Africa’s diversity of languages and encourages the art of storytelling.

Nal’ibali (isiXhosa for “here’s the story”), a countrywide reading-for-enjoyment campaign designed to ignite children’s potential through reading, is hosting the Story Bosso Talent Search.

To enter, adults and children alike who are interested need to record a video or audio clip of themselves telling a story. It can be in any one of the country’s 11 official languages.

“It can be original stories made up by participants, retellings of stories heard before, a narrative poem, or simply an extract from their favourite book or sample story provided by Nal’ibali,” said the organisation.

The winner will receive the Story Bosso title, their story will be published in a book, and they will receive money, books, book vouchers and a mobile hanging library.

Seven-year-old Athandiwe Sikade from Chumisa Primary in Khayelitsha in Cape Town was the winner in 2015.

Watch a few of South Africa’s famous faces talk about why they consider themselves storytellers:

See how reading can change a child’s life. Click on the image for a larger view:

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