By Jean Fairbairn | EIFL Communications Manager
“I would like to thank you for bringing these books to this library. My thought is that we should keep and maintain the books properly so that even when we become older our children will find the books and they will help them.”
Lamick, a primary school pupil in the coastal village of Dzitsoni in eastern Kenya, sends you this message. His library had just received a delivery of 259 books bought with your support.
As soon as the books arrived at Dzitsoni Community Library, the librarians began taking them to primary schools and working with teachers to give the children reading practice. The books are in Kiswahili - Kenya’s national language - and English.
Rumuruti Community Library, which serves a livestock farming community in Kenya’s Rift Valley, also received 259 books. “We feel privileged to be selected for the books donation. The Kiswahili books especially will help us reach more vulnerable and economically disadvantaged children in our community,” said Agnes Karegi, librarian in charge of Rumuruti Community Library.
During school holidays, children spend most of their time in the libraries, and librarians are delighted that the books have arrived in time to enrich a programme of reading and storytelling planned for the August holidays.
Your gift of 437 books in the local languages Acholi and Ateso, and English, inspired Moyo Community Library in Northern Uganda to expand the library to include a children’s reading room. “We have already bought plastic chairs and reading tables and installed the shelves, and now we are just completing the final touches of painting and decoration,” said Moyo librarian, Christopher Muzuri.
“Before the room is open, the books are already being used. Even the parents are coming to the library to read the books with their children,” said Christopher.
Since January this year, EIFL has disbursed a total of US$3,030 to libraries in Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda to buy children’s books and give children the gift of reading.
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