- Ford marks over 28 years of support for Rally to Read as it continues to address South Africa’s education challenges
- Rally to Read strengthens foundational literacy in under-resourced rural South African schools by ensuring children read for understanding and meaning
- Linking early reading and comprehension is key in unlocking the potential of children well after they leave the early stages of schooling
As South Africa continues to confront one of its most pressing educational challenges, improving and strengthening literacy among young learners, Ford South Africa has concluded the 2026 Rally to Read in the Eastern Cape, delivering books, teaching materials and teacher aids to rural schools over the weekend. These resources are geared to strengthen reading outcomes during the critical early years of schooling.
This year’s rally reaffirms Ford’s long-standing commitment to literacy development and showcases its belief that real societal impact comes from a committed generational approach. The rally forms part of Ford’s partnership with the READ Educational Trust that has supported rural schools for 28 years.
A Long-Term Commitment to Literacy
Ford has been part of South Africa’s economic and social landscape for 102-years. Through partnerships such as Rally to Read, the company continues to invest in education as a driver of opportunity, skills development and long-term economic participation.
“At Ford, we believe that if our community investments are not creating generational impact, they are unlikely to change the trajectory of people’s lives,” said Neale Hill, President of Ford Motor Company, Africa.
“Our approach is what we describe as ‘cradle to vocation’, recognising that meaningful economic participation begins with strong foundations in the earliest years of education. Literacy sits at the very beginning of that journey. When children learn to read with understanding, they unlock the ability to succeed in every other subject, ultimately creating pathways to opportunity and shared prosperity.”
Ford’s Legacy in the Eastern Cape
Ford’s presence in the Eastern Cape spans generations, with the Struandale Engine Plant in Gqeberha continuing to play an important role in the company’s global manufacturing network. The province remains deeply connected to Ford’s history in South Africa, dating back to the company’s earliest operations in the region.
For more than two decades, Ford has supported the Rally to Read programme as part of its broader commitment to strengthening education in the communities where it operates. Prior to 2018 participation was through multi-funded Rallies. Since 2019, the company has formally organised and hosted its own single funded Rally to Read events together with the READ Educational Trust, mobilising vehicles, employees, volunteers and partners to deliver books, classroom libraries and educational resources directly to under-resourced rural schools.
This year’s rally supported schools in the Nelson Mandela Bay and Sarah Baartman districts. After completing an earlier three-year Rally to Read support cycle in the region, Ford began a new cycle with new schools in 2025. The 2026 rally marks the second year of the current three-year programme, which provides learning materials, teacher training and sustained classroom support.
“During the rally we often speak about numbers, the schools reached, the teachers trained and the learners supported. But when you visit these classrooms, you realise that behind every number is a teacher doing their best with limited resources, and a child discovering the confidence to read,” said Hill.
From Classrooms to Future Opportunity
“Literacy is the gateway to the entire curriculum,” said Sibhekaphi Sibanda of the READ Educational Trust. “When learners cannot read and write effectively, they are automatically excluded from subjects such as mathematics, science and technology. Strengthening literacy early gives children access to the rest of their education and to the opportunities that follow.”
The programme’s impact is often most visible in the everyday moments that occur in classrooms. During one school visit, a principal sat with a learner with special needs on his lap while the child read aloud confidently, a simple but powerful moment that captured the programme’s real purpose: helping learners develop the confidence and ability to read.
Crossing a Generational Threshold
“When you intervene in literacy during the earliest years of education and sustain that work over decades, you are not simply running a programme,” Hill said. “You are creating what we believe is a generational correction mechanism that helps unlock opportunity for children and communities over the long term.
“A child who first discovered a love of reading in a rural classroom twenty years ago may today be raising a family of their own. The impact of that moment cannot always be captured in a report or spreadsheet, but it shapes futures in very real ways,” said Hill.
Earlier this year, Ford further strengthened its support for the programme by donating three Ford Transit vehicles to the READ Educational Trust. The vehicles will help the organisation reach under-resourced schools more efficiently while transporting literacy materials and supporting educators across the country. One of the vehicles has also been converted into a mobile library, enabling trainers to reach even more learners and communities.
For Ford, programmes such as Rally to Read form part of a broader commitment to long-term social investment and partnership. By strengthening literacy in the earliest years of education, the programme helps build the foundations for future learning, skills development and economic participation. As a company that has been part of South Africa’s industrial landscape for more than a century, Ford continues to invest in initiatives that contribute to stronger communities and greater opportunity for future generations.
