Al-Qalam 
By Nabeelah Shaikh
A children’s colouring book designed by South African illustrator and writer, Nathi Ngubane, is going global while spreading a powerful message about the plight of the Palestinian people.
Ngubane has published From the River to the Sea, an educational book that provides a gateway into the story of Palestine. Through a series of stunning illustrations, Soweto-based Ngubane tackles the injustices of the Nakba, delves into the history and culture of the land, and introduces young readers to the key concepts driving and sustaining the Palestinian resistance.
The book also provides space for young readers to produce their murals and show their support for Palestine.
“I created this activity book to educate children in South Africa and worldwide about the history of Palestine, the culture of Palestinian people, and their flora and fauna,” Ngubane said.
South Africa’s support for Palestine has inspired him to want to make a difference through creating the book.
“South African lawyers took Israel to the International Court of Justice and immediately after, my publisher, Azad Essa contacted me and we decided to do this to see how we can educate children and adults during this pressing time in our history,” said Ngubane.
He said he was very interested in the idea, so he started with the research and he went through a bunch of interesting and powerful murals around the world, from which he drew inspiration.
“I then began with the book and it took about a month to complete. The idea was to convey the themes of Palestinian freedom, history, resistance, and hope throughout the book. We wanted the book to be as celebratory and hopeful to make sure kids are as engaged as possible with the book. We consulted with Palestinian journalists and scholars to make sure the book was appropriate and exciting so that kids could learn from it,” said Ngubane.
Since the book was launched, Ngubane says it has been well received not just in South Africa, but across the world.
“We are taking ‘From the River to the Sea’ to book shops in New York, the United Kingdom, and Mozambique. It is also being translated into Portuguese,” said Ngubane.
Ngubane says the current situation in Palestine made him feel like he had to do something to spread awareness and educate the younger generation about the history of Palestine.
”The current situation in Gaza is heart-wrenching. Every day, I follow the news to keep myself updated on the ongoing events, such as the Israeli military strikes that are causing severe injuries, destruction to homes, and deaths of thousands of children. Many of us feel helpless and wish we could do something to help,” Ngubane said.
He said he hoped that by the end of this book, children would be more informed about the devastating situation that children their age are facing in Gaza.
“Furthermore, I hope to encourage children to express their support and solidarity with Palestine by creating their murals in the book,” Ngubane added.
The activity book is the latest collaboration between Ngubane and Social Bandit Media, an experimental media project based between Johannesburg and New York City.
Social Bandit Media has partnered with NGO, Penny Appeal South Africa to get copies of the books to learners in South Africa. The organisation will also benefit from the proceeds of the book. All funds raised through sales will go towards Penny Appeal South Africa’s Palestine projects.
“The support for the book has been overwhelming. We received interest from all around the world from people in Australia, the UK, and the US. We’ve already sold more than 2000 copies of the book. I have been getting a lot of commissions through the book, since the launch of it. I look forward to many more opportunities and to seeing the reach of the book grow,” said Ngubane.
