For a moment, time slowed. Pages rustled, voices rose, and words once confined to paper found new life. On Thursday 6th February 2025, the Mpesa Foundation Academy didn’t just acknowledge World Read-Aloud Day, we lived it.
World Read-Aloud Day, celebrated on the first Wednesday of February, is a global initiative promoting the joy of reading aloud. It encourages storytelling, literacy, and connection while celebrating diverse voices and inspiring a love for books.
Every Thursday morning, we set everything aside for our reading session—a time when books take charge, and the world outside pauses. But on Thursday 6th February, something was different. We didn’t just read, we read out loud. We filled the air with the rhythm of Spanish, the boldness of German, the elegance of French, the twists of Mandarin, the flow of Swahili, and the familiarity of English. There were perfect pronunciations, unexpected new accents, and laughter that made the stories even more alive.
That’s the magic of reading aloud. It’s not about getting every word right but giving stories a voice. It’s about daring to be heard, about feeling the weight of words and the way they connect us across languages, cultures, and experiences.
And as the last voices faded, something lingered in us. A feeling, a connection, a reminder of why we do this every Thursday. These reading sessions aren’t just about books, they’re about voices being heard, stories being shared, and ideas taking flight. They teach us to listen, to speak with confidence, and to step into worlds beyond our own. In those moments, we aren’t just students, we are explorers, thinkers, and storytellers. That’s why when we read together, we don’t just turn pages, we open doors to something bigger than ourselves.
By Zeinab Mohammed – Student Council Deputy – Academics – MYP 5
