Using the principles of "Overcoming your Fear of Public Speaking" during a storytelling event

In pursuit of its enduring dedication to fostering community engagement, the Green Library Grant Project visited the Mamelodi campus on 9 November 2023 to participate in an official recording for the Goethe Institute, which awarded the grant. 

The Community Outreach and Engagement focus group was represented by Linky Mokgohlwa who read a story in the STEM sensory garden reading corner of the Department of Library Services for a group of 28 Early Childhood Development (ECD) practitioners.

The aim of the outreach also focused on reinforcing the skills for narrating stories to young children, which were taught during the recent Storytelling Workshop on 27 September 2023.  This event aimed not only to disseminate the joy of storytelling but was also a practical demonstration of effective reading techniques and the role of interaction around a story to ECD practitioners. 

The chosen narrative for this occasion was the well-regarded children's book, "The Very Hungry Caterpillar." In this story, a caterpillar hatches from an egg and consumes a lot of food with each passing day until it falls ill. After six days of consuming a variety of fruits and "junk" food, a "nice green leaf" proves to be the remedy for the caterpillar. The caterpillar starts pupating and emerging as a beautiful butterfly. The week long binge eating session of The Hungry Caterpillar was visually available for viewing and was used to reinforce the concepts of healthy and unhealthy food.

Afterwards, an example of the caterpillar’s food was donated by Jack Thobakgale who keeps the garden in an impeccable condition for our activities.

The day constituted a remarkable personal journey for me, particularly as I grappled with a profound fear of public speaking. This anxiety hindered my participation in some of the community outreach events. I undertook a LinkedIn course titled "Overcoming your Fear of Public Speaking" which transformed my capacity to address an audience. It is with pride that I assert that my visit to the Mamelodi campus represented a milestone in my journey and was the result of the recommendation of our training coordinator, Chipa Maimela.

Linky Mokgohlwa, Information Specialist, conquering her fear of public speaking

I would strongly urge those who, like me, have contended with public speaking anxiety, to make use of resources such as the mentioned LinkedIn course on public speaking available on the UP Portal.

I wish to convey my profound appreciation to the event organizers, particularly Dr. Martina Jordaan, the Head of Community Outreach on the Mamelodi Campus for extending the invitation to our team. It is through such small opportunities that we genuinely influence and effectuate change within our community and country. Furthermore, I extend my gratitude to Christine Nel, Pfano Makhera and Sophi Mohale for their unswerving support and encouragement throughout the event. Their unwavering belief in my capabilities and the continuous reassurance that "You can do it" proved to be invaluable.

Community engagement lies at the core of the Green Libraries Project and our day at the Mamelodi campus serves as a testament to the affirmative impact we create when we unite to share knowledge, stories and mutual support. It is a testament to our mission of inspiring, educating and empowering ECD practitioners and forms part of our journey to construct a more environmentally conscious and literate world.