For most people, a book is something to read. For young people at the Baviaanspoort Youth Correctional Centre, it can also offer a window into a different future.

As part of its 70th anniversary celebrations, Unisa Press has donated a collection of books to the centre, reaffirming its commitment to making knowledge accessible beyond university campuses and into communities where it can have a meaningful impact.

The initiative, carried out in partnership with the College of Education and the Unisa Women's Forum, marks the third consecutive year that Unisa Press has supported the correctional facility through book donations.

The collection includes true-life stories, educational resources and books in African languages. Together, the titles reflect the diversity of Unisa Press's publishing programme while providing opportunities for reading, learning, self-reflection and personal development.

For Hetta Pieterse of Unisa Press, the initiative is a natural extension of the Press’s purpose.

"This is an opportunity to show that Unisa Press remains committed to serving our community, even those who are incarcerated. Our hearts say that we want to develop the youth," she said.

Pieterse said access to books can play an important role in rehabilitation by giving young people opportunities to acquire knowledge, broaden their perspectives and imagine possibilities beyond their current circumstances.

"Someone in prison might have limited access to book resources. Donating books can play a role in the re-education of young people, giving them a greater opportunity to improve themselves and their future career prospects," she said.

The donation also speaks to Unisa’s broader commitment as Africa's leading open distance e-learning institution to expanding access to education and lifelong learning, including for people who face significant barriers to accessing educational opportunities.

"This fits with Unisa’s role as a distance education university. We believe education should create opportunities for people to continue learning despite the barriers they may face, including prison walls," Pieterse added.

While the donation forms part of Unisa Press's 70th anniversary celebrations, its significance extends beyond the milestone. It demonstrates how publishing and education can contribute to rehabilitation by giving young people access to knowledge and encouraging them to see themselves as capable of building different futures.

For the young people receiving the books, the donation is therefore about more than adding titles to a library. It is about access, possibility and the opportunity to begin a new chapter.

* By Noxolo Miya, Journalist, Department of Institutional Advancement