Botswana: 'African Reading Ambassador' is in Town

Cleo Bonny has a passion for reading and that passion has taken the 27-year-old Malawian all over the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.

Bonny says despite being brought up in abject poverty by his single mother, the late Meria Hysteyns Nzeru, there were always books in the family home.

The young writer, who has been dubbed the 'African reading ambassador', says that it was difficult being brought up without a father figure but he survived by literally burying his head in the books.

"After supper every evening, my mother would gather us (children) in the living room and make us read books before retiring to bed," Bonny said.

He added that when he was much younger, he used to struggle with the arrangement because all he wanted to do after school was rest and play but his mother would have none of it. According to the avid reader, everything that had words written on it was respected in the family home, so much that later it became a habit for the boy to pick up old newspapers and take them home.

After finishing his primary education in Malawi, Bonny moved to South Africa where he did Audio Visual Communications at Tutuka Casting in Orangegroove, Johannesburg. He says after completing the course in 1998, and instead of looking for a full-time job, he visited several schools and companies in a bid to promote the culture of reading. However, the turning point came in 2001 when the head of Xolani Primary School in Gugulethu, Cape Town, told him that he was 'a natural leader."

This was enough to motivate the young pioneer to embark on the project full-time. So far, Bonny claims to have reached out to over 500,000 pupils in his crusade.

"I have visited all the provinces in South Africa touching every school and it's funny how I have been more welcome in area dominated by whites," said Bonny.

The determined motivator says although a prophet is never welcome by his people he has done a lot of work in his home country. According to some newspaper reports, the young man has struggled to make a breakthrough in Malawi although he has already reached out to some 15,000 pupils there. Bonny has covered South Africa, Swaziland, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Mozambique.

He is now setting his sights on covering the rest of the SADC region before December.

The 'ambassador' says his vision is to visit all the countries in Africa.

He further explains that he has been able to finance his tours by selling his book, The Young Commentator wherever he goes. The book teaches young people "to read as fast a soccer commentator would talk".

The young writer says that he has been exposed to untold dangers throughout his campaigns but that does not deter him. Although he is reluctant to dwell on the issue, some of the 'dangers' include perverts.

"A lot of horrible things have happened to me but that will not stop me," declared Bonny casting a determined look.

On whether he is able to 'walk the talk', Bonny says that reading is an integral part of his life and that he reads an average of 30 books a month, which most would find hard to do.

"Whenever I want to read a book and finish it quickly, I find a quiet place where there is less movement and read my book until I finish it," he says.

The motivator claims that it takes him just a day to finish reading one thick volume or three small ones.

Several newspapers in the SADC region have covered Bonny's campaigns.