By Lee Koelzer | Director
One year ago last July, we were fortunate enough to meet the team from NITEO, a Canadian organization who ultimately gave us over 7,000 books to help stock our libraries. At the time we had one Library located in the Masese 2, Danita slum in Jinja, containing about 1,200 books which we had bought.
It was FANTASTIC! We worked our butts off locating spaces, hiring librarians, weaving floor mats, building shelves, painting, buying arts and craft supplies, playing with kids, reading with everyone, stacking encyclopedias for extra chairs (or stools) having awesome Library opening parties, fundraising, praying, and with Global Giving donor support, we now have five incredible Libraries.
It was wonderful to bring people we met a year ago, and show them first hand how much we have been able to accomplish with their books, and the support of our Global Giving donors. They met the women who run the Libraries, the children, the adults, they walked through the slums and villages, met the community members, read to the children, and the children taught them how to jump rope and the importance of holding hands.
The road has been tough and the biggest challenge is simply operating costs for the Libraries themselves as we want to pay our librarians a decent living allowance, AND provide the children and patrons with both books and other learning supplies such as arts and crafts, games, even newspapers- all of which cost money.
The road has been tough and we have a way to go. But I am still in awe of how successful our libraries have been. HUGE Thank You to everyone who has helped support our efforts. It means the world to us, and our communities.
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By Lee Koelzer | Director
By Lee Koelzer | Director
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