The Literary Outreach Incubation Programme is an initiative of Kwetso Consulting Services (Pty) Ltd which was launched in 2022 in partnership with and support from the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, Books and Publishing Directorate.

The core theme of this initiative is Towards a Knowledgeable Society through inculcation of a culture of reading in different official indigenous languages, prioritizing particularly African indigenous languages, for comprehension, knowledge, and leisure.

Using varied activities in this Programme, we aim to ignite passion and love for reading, especially literature written in African indigenous languages. This act will see authors who are writing in these languages having an opportunity to access markets from a local to national level, which will enable them to produce and sell more of their craft. We want to portray reading as fun, a culture that can be a lifestyle activity.

The Programme encourages learners, youth as well as the society at large, to love reading in its totality, including reading books and all other forms of recorded information in official African indigenous languages.

The architecture of learning has conceivably changed. There are opportunities that can be easily accessed. Education remains phenomenally a central component underpinning this access. Learners: young and old, including women are vital groups that need to be prioritized for education and access. These groups are deliberately earmarked to benefit from the Literary Outreach Incubation Programme.

Activities such as the initiation of Book/Reading Clubs and capacitation of the existing ones are key and central towards the success and positive impact of the Programme to beneficiaries. Creation of Book/ Reading Clubs will contribute positively towards access to reading resources which will scale reading capabilities and knowledge of beneficiaries.

The Literary Outreach Incubation Programme is continuing this year of 2023 and beyond. The scope is extended from the previous year of 2022, prioritizing Book/ Reading Clubs formation and support for adults, youth, and young children. The Programme will also encompass Book Fairs, Poetry Writing Competitions, Book Donations, Masterclass Workshops, Book Reviews as well as Essay Writing. These activities, we believe, will impact stakeholders in the knowledge production value chain.

The Programme team will continue working with provinces, community arts centres where they exist, libraries, authors, publishers and organizations within the books and publishing value chain in all nine (9) provinces. Authors who are writing in indigenous languages spoken in these communities will form part of the Programme.

We are genuinely excited to be in partnership with the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture. We also acknowledge with gratitude the fiscal support from the Department to continue this Programme this year 2023 and beyond.