Meet The Book Bus Zambia team: An interview with Chishimba Kaela

Chishimba Kaela - a Link Teacher with The Book Bus
Chishimba Kaela, a Link Teacher with The Book Bus.

In this series of interviews, The Book Bus celebrates our team working in Zambia to spread the joy of reading. This interview introduces you to Chishimba Kaela, who has been working with The Book Bus as a Link Teacher since July 2019.

What does your role at the Book Bus involve?

My role involves helping and providing support to teachers and learners. This includes providing in-house skill-sharing workshops with project teachers, planning and implementing literacy activities for learners on the project, as well as tracking and documenting learner reading progress.

What has being literate done for you?

Being literate helped me reach tertiary level education and created an opportunity for me to discover different skills. Without being able to read and write, I wouldn’t have been working at The Book Bus.

Why would you say reading is important?

Reading is important because it improves our vocabulary and communication.

How can Zambians celebrate reading?

Zambians can celebrate reading by creating awareness, especially on special days like World Book Day that falls in March.

What, in your own words, is the importance of the Book Bus’ work to the future of Zambia?

The Book Bus is providing knowledge to children and teachers. It’s very pleasing to see and know that Book Bus is fulfilling its motto of supporting reading, and changing lives.

What is your favorite quote from a book?

‘A man who never made mistakes never made anything.’ (Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days by Jeff Kinney).

What is your advice to teachers?

Be passionate about your profession as this will inspire learners, get them interested, and even excited about what they are learning. Don’t do things like you are being forced to, your passion will make your learners learn more.

To support Chishimba and the team’s mission to spread opportunities through reading, please head to our donations page and virtual store.