Wesselsbron, Free State – AVBOB unveiled its latest container library at Katoloso Primary School in Wesselsbron on Tuesday, 21 October, adding another chapter to its legacy of literacy upliftment across South Africa.
Like many towns in the Free State, Wesselsbron faces several daily challenges. The limited learning resources available to learners at Katoloso Primary School not only hinder their education in the short term but also impact the town’s long-term ability to rise above its current socio-economic constraints.
With over 3 000 books, this new container library serves as a beacon of opportunity – a place to help bridge the gap between potential and possibility, serving learners and the broader community by providing a safe, inspiring environment for study, research, and personal growth.
School Principal Expresses Gratitude
Mr Ramotladi Matsepe, Principal of Katoloso Primary School, said: “On behalf of Katoloso Primary School, I am deeply humbled and grateful for this generous gift of a container library from AVBOB. It is more than just a structure filled with books—it is a gift of hope, opportunity, and growth.
“For many of our learners, this library represents a doorway to new worlds and endless possibilities. It will help them develop a love for reading, build confidence, and dream beyond the classroom walls.
This donation marks a historic milestone in our journey, one that will enrich not only our learners but also our teachers and the wider Monyakeng community
“Since our establishment in 1986, our school has always strived to provide quality education despite challenging conditions. This donation marks a historic milestone in our journey, one that will enrich not only our learners but also our teachers and the wider Monyakeng community.”
Addressing Critical Learning Barriers
Launched in 2013, the AVBOB Container Library Project was born from the company’s realisation that a lack of reading material remains one of the most significant barriers to learning for many South African children, especially those attending schools in rural and underserved areas.
By converting shipping containers into fully equipped libraries, AVBOB creates welcoming, functional spaces that make literacy accessible to all.
Substantial National Investment
To date, the AVBOB Container Library Project has invested over R36 million in 73 libraries across the nation. Covering all nine provinces, these containers have collectively provided more than 216 000 books and benefited more than 71 000 learners and over 2 000 educators.
To further support this initiative, AVBOB has committed to ensuring that container libraries older than seven years are refurbished and provided with additional reading books. To date, AVBOB has spent R8.3 million on the refurbishment of 22 container libraries.
Complementary Literacy Programmes
The Container Library project is supported by the AVBOB Road To Literacy (RTL) campaign, running since 2022 in partnership with Oxford University Press Southern Africa (OUPSA).
When children have access to books, they begin to see a world of hope beyond their immediate circumstances. That sense of possibility is truly priceless.
Through RTL, the organisation donates trolley libraries to deserving primary schools and educational NPOs through a public nomination process. In 2025 alone, a R57 million investment by AVBOB and OUPSA delivered 1 000 trolley libraries, stocked with 500 000 CAPS-aligned books.
ALSO READ: Schools can be nominated to win a trolley library
Vision for Educational Transformation
Kebo Mosweusweu, General Manager for Shared Value & Sustainability at AVBOB, said: “Every library we open is a reminder that education is the most powerful gift we can give. Through these projects, we create opportunities for learning and plant the seeds for a better future.
“When children have access to books, they begin to see a world of hope beyond their immediate circumstances. That sense of possibility is truly priceless.”
Continuing Legacy
Each library forms part of an ongoing story that will continue to benefit future generations. With each new library, more learners gain access to the tools they need to succeed, whilst more communities begin to believe in the power of education to change lives.
“The Katoloso Primary School library is simply one more chapter – one that speaks to hope, opportunity, and a thriving South Africa built on literacy for all,” Mosweusweu concluded.
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