How It Started
Smart Kidz Club, Inc. launched the Namibia Reads app on March 21, 2020, coinciding with Namibia's Independence Day. The goal was to help foster a culture of reading and expand access to quality digital reading resources for children across the nation. Nationwide access was sponsored by the Foundation for Accessible Children's Education.
What It Set Out to Do
The program set out to do six things:
- Support English language and reading development.
- Give children access to a broad range of narrated and illustrated digital books.
- Complement the work of teachers, schools, and libraries.
- Expand access to educational resources in underserved and rural communities.
- Support critical thinking, knowledge development, and information literacy.
- Help narrow the digital divide through purposeful educational technology.
The initiative reflected Smart Kidz Club's belief that technology can be a powerful tool for literacy when designed around meaningful learning rather than entertainment and distraction.
A National Literacy Initiative
Namibia Reads was developed to support Namibia's Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture and to align with the country's education and development priorities, including the Fifth National Development Plan (NDP5), which emphasized strong foundations in literacy and numeracy. It also supported enrichment opportunities through schools and libraries.
The First Year
In its inaugural year, Namibia Reads saw widespread promotion from the National Library and Archive Services and the Ministry of Education, including coverage through national television and print media.
Reading Through COVID-19
During COVID-19, UNESCO recognized Namibia Reads as a COVID-19 Education Response National Learning Platform and Tool for Namibia.
Growing Reach and Learning
In its second year, the program expanded access to primary schools and libraries. Stakeholders from government ministries and education organizations, including the Namibia Library and Archives Service and the National Institute for Educational Development (NIED), supported efforts to expand reach and explore its contribution to student learning outcomes.
Smart Kidz Club partnered with researchers from the University of Delaware to study Namibia Reads and how digital reading could contribute to educational equity and improved learning outcomes, particularly in rural communities. The research was presented through international education and literacy forums.
What It Leaves Behind
The Namibia Reads nationwide sponsorship concluded in 2026, bringing this chapter of the program to a close. Smart Kidz Club continues to build on these experiences as it develops new partnerships and digital learning solutions.
Questions
What was Namibia Reads?
Namibia Reads was a national literacy program that brought Smart Kidz Club books and reading to children across Namibia. It ran from 2020 until the nationwide sponsorship concluded in 2026.
When did Namibia Reads start?
Smart Kidz Club launched the Namibia Reads app on March 21, 2020, on Namibia's Independence Day, with the goal of helping foster a culture of reading and expanding access to quality digital reading resources for children across the nation.
Who sponsored access in Namibia?
Nationwide access in Namibia was sponsored by the Foundation for Accessible Children's Education.
What did the program do for schools and libraries?
Namibia Reads complemented the work of teachers, schools, and libraries, and it supported enrichment opportunities through schools and libraries. In its second year it expanded access to primary schools and libraries.
Is Namibia Reads still running?
No. The Namibia Reads nationwide sponsorship concluded in 2026, bringing this chapter of the program to a close. Smart Kidz Club continues to build on these experiences as it develops new partnerships and digital learning solutions.
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