First Word in Print (FWIP) or Isiqalo
First Word in Print (FWIP) or Isiqalo (“the start” or “the beginning”) is a project that gives very young
children books written, illustrated and published by South Africans in their home languages. The
project is in support of the CFB’s mission “to promote a culture of reading, writing and publishing and
easy access to books for all”. In recognition of its value, the project was awarded the IBBY – Asahi
Reading Promotion Award in 2004 and was a finalist for the Arts and Culture Trust Award. It was also
short-listed for the 2007 Astrid Lindgren Award.
The aims of Isiqalo are to:

enhance a reading culture in very young children to stimulate their development by giving them
books;

encourage South African writers, illustrators and publishers to produce appropriate literature for
children aged 0 – 6 years;

distribute sets of picture and story books in all South African official languages to children to
help build a common culture of literature for future generations;

facilitate and encourage a culture of reading within the communities where the project is
implemented.
Research and evaluation played an important role in the project, especially during the pilot phase. The
first research was a base-line data on literacy and education levels, use of books and libraries amongst
parents and young children, accessibility of reading materials, etc. on a sample in four selected pilot
areas. Urban and rural communities from disadvantaged backgrounds in four provinces were identified
as the pilot areas: Maphotla in Mpumalanga, Rammulotsi in the Free State, Ottery in the Western Cape
and Mount Ayliff in the Eastern Cape.
In 2002 Schaffer and Watters conducted a comprehensive Baseline Study in each of the four pilot areas.
In each area the study covered 100 households with children under the age of six. The baseline study
showed that the majority of young children in the four areas had little or no exposure to books or
reading. There was a lack of children's picture books in all the households and in many Early
Childhood Development Centres. The children's books in the pre-schools which had collections tended
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to be unsuitable, Eurocentric English stories.
The First Phase of the Project (2002 - 2003)
The following four books were developed for and used in the first, pilot phase of the project:
1. “Horns Only”: A story book written by Fathima Dada, Leoni Hofmeyr and Gcina Mhlophe and
illustrated by Heather Moore and Jiggs Snaddon-Wood, published by Maskew Miller Longman.
2. “Thandeka's Gift”: A word book also written by Fathima Dada, Leoni Hofmeyr and Gcina
Mhlophe and illustrated by Pandora Alberts, published by Maskew Miller Longman.
3. “Abongi's Journey”: Conceptualised by Kerry Saadien-Raad and illustrated by Tasia Rosser,
published by Ampersand.
4. “Khushu Khushi:” A collection of seven rhymes, each written in a different South African
language. The book is illustrated by Jean Fullalove, published by Juta/Gariep. English
translations are given on the back page.
“Abongi's Journey” and “Khushu Khushu” both received the 2002 Vivian Wilkes Award, awarded by
the SA Children's Book Forum for books which have made a special contribution to South African
children's literature.
A training video and pamphlet were developed to provide guidance and ideas for adult caregivers on
ways to encourage and share in reading activities with young children.
Phase Two of the Project (2004-2005)
For the second phase of the project SAPPI sponsored a competition for three new books and covered
the costs of printing the English versions of the book and the promotional poster. The Sappi Isiqalo
book competition was launched. South African authors and illustrators were invited to develop material
with a local idiom for young South African children. From over a thousand entries, the winners of R10
000 each were:
 “What's down that hole?” by Clea Berge,
 “Now, Mama!” by Catherine Kraetschmer
 “Three friends and a taxi” by Maryanne Cleg
The competition organisers decided to publish an additional two manuscripts: “Lindi and Gogo” by
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Thembi Mwelase (Sheila Verner) and “I could be anywhere” written and illustrated by Catherine
Groenewald.
The following four books were selected for the phase two book packs:
1. “Lindi and Gogo” by Thembi Mwelase (Sheila Verner), published by Centre for the Book/Sappi
2. “What’s down that hole?” by Clea Berge, published by Centre for the Book/Sappi
3. “Now Mama” by Catherine Kraetschmer, published by Centre for the Book/Sappi
4. “Three friends in a taxi” Maryanne Cleg, illustrated by Shayle Bester, illustrated by Shayle
Bester, published by Centre for the Book/Sappi
Phase Three of the Project (2007)
The following three books were selected for the third phase packs:
1. “Remembering Mommy” by Carole Bloch, Boyce Boulix Mgcina, Rafeeka Patel, Juliana Seleti,
Ethel Sithole and Robert Hichens, published by New Africa Books
2. “Can you” by Carole Bloch and Wendy Hardy, published by New Africa Books
3. “A very nice day” by Ann Walton and Natalie Hinrichsen, published by Tafelberg (wordless
book)
Phase Four of the Project (2009)
In the fourth phase, the Isiqalo pack contained the following three books:
1. “Cool Nguni” by Maryanne Bester and illustrated by Shayle Bester
2. “Wake up” by Ian Lusted and Comien van Wyk
3. “I could be anywhere” written and illustrated by Catherine Groenewald, published by Centre for
the Book/Sappi
By the end of 2009, a total of 67 260 packs of books (236 190 books) have been distributed as follows:
 Pilot phase (2002) – 10 000 packs of 4 books in five languages were distributed = 40 000 books
 2nd phase (2004-2005) - 24 410 packs of 4 books in eight languages were distributed = 97 640
books
 3rd phase (2007) – 27 150 packs of 3 books in eleven languages were distributed = 81 450 books
 4th phase (2009) – 5 700 packs of 3 books in seven languages were distributed = 17 100 books.
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The following table illustrates the distribution of the books packs during the four phases and the
organisations that assisted with distribution in the various provinces:
Province
Organisation
Western Cape
Ottery Library
Phase 1
2 500
Phase 2
1 500
Phase 3
Phase 4
1 600
Total
5 600
Gugulethu Library
300
300
600
Langa Library
300
300
600
READ
300
300
Mpumalanga
Maphotla Library
2 500
4 150
4 000
800
11 450
Eastern Cape
Mount Ayliff
2 500
2 300
1 200
500
6 500
Bethesda Art Centre
Free State/N.West Rammulotsi(Ntataise)
200
2 500
200
2 500
1 800
380
7 180
Free State/N.West Rammulotsi Library
1 000
1 000
140
2 140
Free State
Lesedi
2 050
4 000
400
6 450
Northern Cape
Kgalagadi
3 600
1 800
900
6 300
1 200
1 300
300
2 800
2 000
300
2 300
300
6 410
Municipality
KZN
Family
Literacy
Project
Farm Family Literacy
Project
TREE
3 110
3 000
Zisizeni
1 000
1 850
2 000
2 500
2 850
(KwaMagwaza)
Limpopo
Thusanang
Faranani
4
480
4 980
500
500
University of Venda
TOTAL
10 000
5
24 410
27 150
100
100
5 700
67 260