Nicola Koen is part of the Junior City Council in Cape Town and also a member of LIFT - a student-led educational initiative founded by high schoolers in Durbanville (Cape Town, South Africa) that focuses on youth empowerment through grassroots literacy and learning.
"Since the age of eight, the sound of rustling paper and rhythmic stamping stole any anxiety away. The library was not the most homey; the chairs pressed hard against my back and I took in dust with every breath, but I loved it still.
Every hour I stole in its warm embrace was an hour I was building to my present self. Though it is not the library itself that gave me a future. The library unlocked the door, but the books allowed it to swing wide open. Or rather what the books contained.
Chapters from paragraphs from sentences from words from letters. Reading and writing is at the centre of who I am.
A study by the University of Pretoria shows that 81% of 4th graders in South Africa do not comprehend what they are reading. It is no longer a fight of getting students to read. Reading and writing is not just a skill, but an integral part of the formation of someone’s identity.
I am Nicola Koen and I stand for literacy. In the eyes of some, my standing does not matter. Nor does the minimal impact of my non-profit. But in a country of 65 million, think what we could do together.
Literacy is not limited to improving children’s tomorrow. It is about their now.
Join me in sharing the resources for learners to shape their identities themselves. Allow them to claim their name on a page as their own. Start writing here..."
Find our more about the LIFT Foundation here.
The LIFT Foundation (liftfoundation.online) is a student-led educational initiative founded by high schoolers in Durbanville (Cape Town, South Africa) that focuses on youth empowerment through grassroots literacy and learning.
Key highlights of the organization include:
Student-Driven Model: Entirely organized and run by high school students—from founding chapters and planning curricula to leading classroom sessions and running book drives.
Core Focus Areas: Weekly volunteer-led sessions centered on foundational reading, mathematics, and logic, alongside supplying books and essential stationery to underprivileged schools and community centers.
Growing Footprint: Began with local community drives in the Western Cape and has expanded into a multi-country network of student-run chapters across South Africa, India, Pakistan, and Nepal.
Direct Community Impact: Designed around low-barrier, direct giving and volunteerism—equipping peer volunteers with starter kits, safeguarding guidelines, and materials to launch support sessions wherever needed.