READ to RISE
READ to RISE is a South African non-profit literacy organisation founded in 2013 that distributes books and runs reading programmes for children in under-resourced communities of Mitchells Plain and Soweto, funded primarily through donations, sponsorships, and book sales.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersNot specified, South Africa
- Headcount1–10
- GTM type—
- OfferingServices
What READ to RISE does
READ to RISE is a South African non-profit organisation founded in 2013 and headquartered in Cape Town, focused on addressing the country's youth literacy crisis through book distribution and reading programmes in under-resourced communities. The organisation operates primarily in Mitchells Plain (Cape Flats, Western Cape) and Soweto (Gauteng), targeting children in schools and households where, per its cited research, 43% of South African households have zero access to books, 66% of homes with children under ten lack a children's book, and 81% of Grade 4 children are functionally illiterate. Core programmes include the Book Ownership Campaign (currently targeting 20,000 children at R50 per sponsored book), school-based Library Visits, and the proprietary Oaky children's book series authored by co-founder Athol Williams, alongside the annual Cape Flats Book Festival held in 2022, 2023, and 2025.
The organisation runs a six-person team and has no proprietary technology platform; its digital footprint is limited to a Wix-based website, an e-commerce shop for Oaky book sales, social media channels (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube), and the GiveInGain third-party donation platform. Revenue is sourced from one-time book sponsorships, recurring monthly learner sponsorships and Patron memberships, corporate sponsors, legacy certificate donations, and retail book sales. READ to RISE holds South African NPO (140-382) and PBO (930048481) registrations, and received the 2022 Western Cape Cultural Affairs Award for substantial contribution to reading and literacy advancement.
Its go-to-market is community-led, anchored by direct school partnerships for programme delivery and donor acquisition driven by word-of-mouth, festival attendance, and digital channels rather than traditional sales. The business model is donor-dependent with no revenue figures disclosed publicly, and operations are constrained geographically to two South African provinces with a small staff footprint relative to its 20,000-child programme target.
READ to RISE firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- READ to RISE
- Legal name
- READ to RISE
- Website
- https://readtorise.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- READ to RISE is a South African non-profit literacy organisation founded in 2013 that distributes books and runs reading programmes for children in under-resourced communities of Mitchells Plain and Soweto, funded primarily through donations, sponsorships, and book sales.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
READ to RISE industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Literacy Non-Profit Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611), Book Publishers (513130)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Literacy & Reading Intervention Technology (EDAJAMAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Library, Reading Motivation & Independent Reading Programs (EDAMAJAO), Children’s Subscription & Book Club Publishing (MPAJAFAO)
Keywords
Where READ to RISE is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Not specified
- HQ country
- South Africa
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices1 record
Markets served
READ to RISE business model
Business model- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Sponsorships: Primary revenue stream from individual donors sponsoring books for children at R50 per child, monthly learner sponsorships, and one-time or recurring donations. Also includes legacy certificates for book sponsorship in memory of loved ones.
- Patron Membership: Monthly or annual patron programme where supporters contribute regular donations to support ongoing operations.
- Book Sales: Sale of proprietary book series (Oaky books) through the organization's e-commerce shop. Includes titles like 'Oaky in the Playground', 'Oaky and Themba', 'Oaky runs a race', and 'What I Have to Tell You' (WIHTO).
- Corporate Sponsorship: Sponsors listed on the website provide financial or in-kind support for programmes. The organization references 'Sponsors' as a category on their website.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Book Sponsorship - R50 per child |
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly Learner Sponsorship |
| Subscription | Monthly | Patron Membership |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Oaky Book Series |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
READ to RISE product offering
Product offeringCore offering
READ to RISE is a non-profit literacy organization that distributes new story books directly to children in South Africa's under-resourced communities (Mitchells Plain and Soweto), delivers school-based literacy programmes including Books for Programmes and Library Visits, and publishes and sells a proprietary children's book series (Oaky). It supplements distribution with the annual Cape Flats Book Festival and recurring donor sponsorship programmes.
Product overview
READ to RISE is a non-profit literacy organization that operates a portfolio of interconnected programmes designed to promote youth literacy in South Africa's under-resourced communities. The core offerings include the Oaky children's book series (with titles like 'Oaky in the Playground', 'Oaky and Themba', and 'Oaky runs a race') and the Book Ownership Campaign providing books to 20,000 children in Mitchells Plain and Soweto. Supporting programmes include Library Visits and the annual Cape Flats Book Festival. Additional resources include Story Time and Parent Newsletter materials. All offerings work together toward the organization's vision of creating a nation of inspired readers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Oaky Book Series A series of culturally relevant South African children's books authored by co-founder Athol Williams, designed to make reading fun for young learners and distributed through READ to RISE's literacy programmes and the organization's online shop.
- Book Ownership Campaign A sponsorship campaign that gives a new story book to children in under-resourced South African communities for R50 per child, targeting 20,000 children in Mitchells Plain and Soweto.
- Library Visits A READ to RISE programme that brings children from under-resourced schools to libraries to foster a love for reading and book ownership.
- Books for Programmes Books distributed through READ to RISE's literacy programmes in schools in under-resourced South African communities.
- Cape Flats Book Festival An annual book festival in the Cape Flats region celebrating reading and literacy, with editions in 2022, 2023, and 2025.
- WIHTO ('What I Have to Tell You') A children's book title in the READ to RISE collection, available for purchase through the organization's online shop.
Quantifiable outcome
- 81% of Grade 4 children in South Africa are functionally illiterate - READ to RISE addresses this through book ownership programmes
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use READ to RISE
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
READ to RISE technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
READ to RISE partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
READ to RISE competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Pratham Books (StoryWeaver): Indian non-profit children's publisher with a multilingual, freely-licensed storybook platform used across developing markets. Comparable publishing-and-distribution model aimed at literacy for under-resourced children, though serving a different geography.
Direct peers
- Biblionef South Africa: DONATES new storybooks to under-resourced South African children through libraries and schools, sitting at the intersection of publishing and literacy philanthropy directly comparable to READ to RISE's Book Ownership Campaign.
- Book Dash: South African non-profit that produces free children's storybooks for distribution, including in under-resourced communities. Directly comparable model: volunteer-authored books distributed at zero cost to children and literacy NGOs.
- Help 2 Read: South African literacy non-profit delivering structured reading support programmes in under-resourced primary schools. Comparable target beneficiary (Grade 1–4 learners), geography (South Africa), and programme design (school-based literacy support).
- Shine Literacy: South African literacy non-profit running volunteer-led literacy interventions in under-resourced Cape Town schools. Closely comparable mission, geography (Cape Town), and beneficiary demographic to READ to RISE.
- Nal'ibali Trust: South Africa's flagship literacy NGO, producing reading materials and mobilizing reading clubs nationwide. Operates in the same donor and beneficiary space as READ to RISE and is cited in READ to RISE's own market data (2023 National Reading Survey).
Broad incumbents
- Room to Read: Global non-profit focused on literacy and gender equality in education, including local-language book publishing and school-based reading programs. Larger, more international incumbent operating with similar mission and book-distribution tactics.
- UNESCO Literacy and Reading Programmes: International policy and funding body that supports national literacy initiatives, including South Africa. Represents the institutional / policy ecosystem in which READ to RISE operates rather than direct competition.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
READ to RISE social profiles
Digital presenceREAD to RISE financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
READ to RISE leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
READ to RISE funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
READ to RISE M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about READ to RISE
What does READ to RISE do?
READ to RISE is a non-profit literacy organization that distributes new story books directly to children in South Africa's under-resourced communities (Mitchells Plain and Soweto), delivers school-based literacy programmes including Books for Programmes and Library Visits, and publishes and sells a proprietary children's book series (Oaky). It supplements distribution with the annual Cape Flats Book Festival and recurring donor sponsorship programmes.
Is READ to RISE a public or private company?
READ to RISE is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was READ to RISE founded?
READ to RISE was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is READ to RISE based?
READ to RISE is headquartered in Not specified, South Africa, in the Africa region.
How does READ to RISE make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Donations and Sponsorships are the primary driver. The others are patron Membership, book Sales and corporate Sponsorship.
Who are READ to RISE's main competitors?
Pratham Books (StoryWeaver) is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Biblionef South Africa, Book Dash, Help 2 Read, Shine Literacy and Nal'ibali Trust. Broad incumbents are Room to Read and UNESCO Literacy and Reading Programmes.
Does READ to RISE have an API?
No public API is recorded for READ to RISE.
What industry is READ to RISE in?
READ to RISE's product category is Youth Literacy Non-Profit Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJAMAF, Literacy & Reading Intervention Technology, with a secondary code of EDAMAJAO, Library, Reading Motivation & Independent Reading Programs. Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 2741.