Bolt marked World Children’s Day with the launch of its Mobility Alphabet Campaign, a creative initiative aimed at fostering literacy and supporting children’s education.
The campaign was inaugurated at the Heart of Hope Children’s Home in Johannesburg, where Bolt donated educational materials to 46 children, underscoring its commitment to empowering young learners.
The Mobility Alphabet Campaign introduces a special Bolt Mobility Alphabet, designed to make learning accessible and engaging for children during their Bolt rides.
These alphabet charts, printed in multiple South African languages, will be placed in the vehicles of Bolt’s top-performing driver-partners nationwide.
The initiative aims to transform everyday commutes into opportunities for children to improve their language skills and develop a love for reading.
South Africa’s literacy statistics highlight a pressing issue. According to the 2023 National Reading Barometer, nearly 69% of 10-year-olds are projected to lack the ability to read for meaning by 2026. Furthermore, many first graders struggle to master the alphabet, and only 52% of adults actively engage in reading activities with children.
“We believe that education is the cornerstone of a brighter future,” said Simo Kalajdzic, Senior Operations Manager at Bolt. “Through the Mobility Alphabet Campaign and donating educational materials to the 46 children at the Heart of Hope Children’s Home in Wendywood, we support their futures and demonstrate our belief that every child deserves access to the resources they need to learn, grow, and succeed. This donation symbolises our ongoing commitment to empowering the next generation of South Africans through education in the communities that we operate.”
Bolt’s platform has already completed over 2 million trips to and from schools in 2024, making it a significant contributor to children’s daily routines. With the launch of this campaign, the company seeks to expand its impact by distributing over 2,000 alphabet charts to schools and children’s organizations across Gauteng.
The campaign also encourages community participation. Parents and children are invited to share videos of themselves reciting the Bolt Mobility Alphabet for a chance to win a library update for their school, reinforcing the role of families in supporting literacy.
Bolt’s initiative reflects its commitment to social responsibility and its belief in the transformative power of education. By combining its resources and innovative platform, Bolt is actively working to address the literacy crisis and create lasting change in South African communities.
As World Children’s Day celebrates the theme “For every child, every right,” Bolt’s Mobility Alphabet Campaign stands as a powerful reminder that every child has the right to learn, read, and thrive.