Teens open bookshop to reignite love of reading in Joburg communities

Times have changed. For many years, children relied on books and playtime to learn and pass the time. However, over the decades, technology has taken centre stage, with physical books no longer being something that many young people invest their time and energy in.

But two teenage girls from the south of Johannesburg, Habiba Yousuf and Zainab Asif, are determined to change that.

The young entrepreneurs - with the help of their parents, run Bookaholics, a bookstore that operates from Oriental Plaza in Fordsburg.

We caught up with the pair to find out where their love for reading comes from.

They proudly say it was their parents who instilled a love of reading in them.

“From a young age, our parents made sure that we read a lot of books growing up. We’ve now reached a point where we love reading so much that we want to share that passion with other people,” they said.

The girls say that they believe books can help build society, while at the same time providing a form of entertainment.

“We sell self-care books, children’s books, novels, puzzles, and things that can help children learn. Our books cater for all ages,” they explained.

The two girls say they run the business through donations as well as books they have personally read and collected over the years.

Although they sell at Oriental Plaza in Fordsburg, they also operate from the comfort of their own home.

“We buy books from other people and it’s also a home business. We sell from home. We spend our weekends and after school serving the community and sharing our love of reading,” they said.

The teenagers also touched on the importance of encouraging their peers to read more.

“We think it’s important for young people to invest in reading because nowadays the world revolves so much around technology. Nobody really reads books as much anymore. It’s important that we continue reading because we can learn a lot from books.”

In South Africa, literacy and reading remain important issues, especially considering statistics that show many children in Grade 4 still struggle to read for meaning.

What these two young girls are doing is helping to create a better future by encouraging reading and lifelong learning.

Reading has countless benefits. It stretches the mind, introduces people to new ideas, improves knowledge and vocabulary, and provides entertainment with a purpose.

The young entrepreneurs say they hope to one day expand their bookshop, which currently operates alongside their parents’ business. While their parents sell jewellery at Oriental Plaza, the girls have a table where they showcase and sell their books over weekends.

They hope that one day their business will grow enough to impact even more people across Johannesburg and inspire a new generation of readers.

To donate books, please contact their bookshop on 084 461 7845.