We are building 2 libraries, in conjunction with Help one Child Uganda, in rural areas within Uganda. Each library will not only focus on creating and nourishing a culture of reading, but will serve as a community center in these remote villages. A dedicated librarian will serve each library and offer programming that includes daily story times and arts and crafts classes. Each library will provide an outlet where children and adults can go to learn and explore.
Education in Uganda is poor and often ineffective. One of the primary reasons for this is due to a lack of resources. Often, five or six children will share a single textbook. Most schools do not have libraries. In poor homes, storybooks and crayons are not priorities, neither is creating a culture of reading. Neither at home nor within the educational system do children have the opportunity to be exposed to the luxury of reading which can enhance their overall education experience.
We will build libraries in the remote villages of Masese, Naggalama, Mbale, and Budugala. These communities lack existing resources and access to reading materials. Each library will be staffed by a librarian who will create programming to promote and nourish a culture of reading. Programming will include daily story times in which stories are read out loud and weekly craft classes to further foster creativity while offering children a safe and nourishing environment in which they can thrive.
We believe that introducing children to the joy of reading is integral to their overall success and happiness. Poverty may make travel less likely for these children, but books have the power to open up entire new worlds and ideas. More pragmatically, regular reading improves overall literacy, problem solving, critical thinking and decision-making skills. Further, reading enhances creativity and the imagination. The benefits of reading are truly unlimited.
