Our libraries are about much more than just the books. They bring communities together. School children donate books and schools give textbooks. Individuals donate books too and companies give boxes. Volunteers catalogue donations and load the shipping container. 25,000 books are awaiting shipment. In Kenya, volunteers transform the container into a bright, colourful and free library. 10,000 children are eagerly waiting for the arrival of books and for the formation of their very own library.
1 in every 20 children in Ukunda, Kenya ever read a book. Unemployment is high, education expensive and literacy low. Our libraries are placed in communities with the drive to improve their lives, the wish to embrace education through reading and the desire to help their children succeed. Our libraries, staffed by local volunteers, are free and opened to all. Our libraries either directly or through our partners provide books to well over 10,000 children and adults.
Building free libraries filled with books will ensure that 20 out of 20 children get to read a book, that literacy rates will increase and that children will have greater opportunities later in life.
Each library has around 1,000 individual members, 25 school partners, 18 orphanages, hospitals and small charities and each library provides books to over 10,000 children and their families. We already know that our libraries lead to increase in literacy levels, improve school performance and help develop children's imagination. We also know that adults benefit from our libraries by gaining knowledge on how to start their own businesses for example.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
