Book Aid International

Saturday 15th May - Back Home

2010-05-17T19:51:00.002+01:00

Back home I reflect on the visit. Zimbabwe is still in limbo, waiting to see whether there will be genuine improvements, politically, economically and socially. It will take time for confidence to re-emerge, and whilst the 2000s were a welcome period of small but vital growth for most African countries, Zimbabwe went backwards. For most of its libraries, this has spelt an end to book buying funds, a loss of professional staff and a slow decline in infrastructure. Beyond that, the situation in schools is still a cause for great concern, and a generation of Zimbabweans, so well educated until recently, could well grow up illiterate. Teachers have left Zimbabwe and/or the profession in thousands due to poor pay and past harassment. Many of those that remain are poorly motivated. This term was unusual in that teachers were not on strike when it began. And even when the teachers are there, parents cannot afford the fees, and consequently children are constantly sent home from school. For the population as a whole, the inclusive power-sharing government and 'dollarisation' has brought (short-term?) improvement but there is still an air of repression and little prospect of the economy climbing significantly out of its dark deep hole. We can only hope that the bad times are at an end and that it's not yet too late.

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Friday 14th May - to prison (and then home)

2010-05-17T19:49:00.002+01:00

My last day in Zimbabwe begins with a visit to a university library we have not supported before and which is temporarily located in Bulawayo until its campus in Lupane, 170km away, is ready. Lupane State University Library is situated in one small room with just a couple of rows of shelving. The university is still small with 500 students and only a few programmes in agriculture, development and linguistics/communication but the library is clearly inadequate and would benefit tremendously from BAI support. The temporary campus is located in buildings vacated by the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ), which has shrunk in size over the years, but still employs 9000 people, and their library, just around the corner, is my next destination. The library is utilising an old chapel building but is surprisingly spacious and BAI books such as A-Level texts and in engineering and computer skills are very well used.

Next up, I head for prison, and this will be the fourth time I have been inside for BAI! On the way, old steam engines are passed at the railway museum. Bulawayo Prison is a remand prison and the the prison service is trying to reinvigorate its library here in Bulawayo, and at other prisons, including Khami Maximum Security Prison, where educational programmes are also run. The prison yard is full of inmates hanging around and books offer them a way to use their time well. At Khami prison, over 100 inmates are studying for various exams, including O Level and A Level, and they have just received their first books from BAI. This is part of a real effort to reform prisons in Zimbabwe and start a genuine rehabilitation programme. In contrast, not so long ago, many inmates were dying in prison from lack of food and supplies, but this was at a time when food was scarce for everyone. Fortunately, things are now much better so food for the mind is now also much needed.

I get out of jail free and head straight for the airport to start my long journey home.

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Thursday 13th May – information for health

2010-05-17T19:47:00.005+01:00

The morning begins with a 20 minute walk to Bulawayo Polytechnic which has many well-used BAI books. Next stop is the National Free Library, an old library with an old collection including leather bounded volumes of Punch going back into the 1800's and 10 volumes of an 1890s series of books on war in the Crimea. The library is a research library but it's large collection has very few up-to-date books. There are two glass cabinets containing modern books, mostly from BAI. Three tourism students from the polytechnic are busy looking for books on purchasing management and find one – they'll have to share.

The rest of the day is spent visiting two hospitals – the United Bulawayo Hospital and Mpilo Hospital. Both have schools of nursing. The first has two small libraries, one for staff and one for nurses, with some BAI books in evidence. The second has a larger more impressive library and is run as an outpost of the University of Zimbabwe which has a medical programme at the library. The librarian is impressive and talks about encouraging the students and their lecturers to use the library. This helped the midwifery students all pass their last exams. Doctors come for information to help treat patients and sometimes this is available on the internet (when it is working and not too slow), and sometimes in textbooks, even if they are old. The librarian assists and guides the doctors and this can make a real difference to whether a patient improves or not, and occasionally it is a matter of life and death. The librarian looks forward to hearing how the doctors get on even though the news may not always be good (and there are few drugs available to treat patients). There are quite a number of BAI books but the numbers are limited , and students steal books and pages. A new security system has been installed to combat this and most key textbooks, including many from BAI, are kept on reserve near the librarian's desk. There are 600 nursing and midwifery students and it is hoped that many will stay in Zimbabwe but many are likely to head for South Africa, Botswana or the NHS. The positive is that their remittances back home are also vital to many.

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Wednesday 12th May - rural libraries and donkeys

2010-05-17T19:45:00.005+01:00

The morning paper says that classrooms in Bulawayo are 'almost empty as schools send pupils home'. Teachers are currently only paid $160 per month and want $500 which the poverty datum line, so some schools are charging an extra 'incentive' fee to top-up teachers' pay, as well as fees for textbooks and other items. This can take the fees up to $70 per term, and many can't afford that. It was apparent yesterday on the drive to Gwanda that many pupils had gone to school only to be sent home early. Pupils in Zimbabwe these last few years are really missing out. And there could be an illiterate generation in a country that had become used to having one of the highest literacy rates in Africa.

Back to the library visits - a long drive out of town today to see two rural libraries in schools supported by the Rural Libraries and Resources Development Programme (RLRDP), a long-standing partner of BAI. The schools are both in a village called Guwe, one primary, one secondary. We visit the secondary school first and though it has an established library, it is dominated by multiple copies of US textbooks, many not that relevant, and which have displaced from the shelves many better books including for example a copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. The library is also very disorganised and RLRDP tell me it was organised and classified efore. However, it does seem the school is starting almost from scratch again following the economic collapse. There is a young teacher-librarian who is unqualified who has a big task to improve the library, but he does have support from pupil librarians, one of whom says the Baby-Sitters Club is a very popular series. RLRDP will offer advice and training to improve the library. A youth NGO in Bulawayo is supporting some former students to resit their O-Levels and most seem to use the library – a Mills and Boon novel is being read by a young male student, and everyone says they enjoy them. Setting up and sustaining school libraries is always challenging, but particularly in a period of economic collapse, but RLRDP, with a track record going back to the early 1990s are well placed to kickstart them again.

The electricity supply has gone in my hotel so I am now writing by the light of my laptop!

The primary school is more of a storeroom than a library but does have two teacher librarians, a borrowing system and library periods, and the books are being well-used. The Ugly Duckling is popular for example. The school also benefits from RLRDP's donkey drawn mobile library in which I have a quick ride. This visits the school every 3 weeks and adds to the diversity of books available, and also visits two other schools. This is one of 20 donkey drawn mobile libraries run by RLRDP. Elsewhere, there are 120 schools served by book delivery bicycles to transport book boxes. The school charges the official $5 for school fees but does not load on any other charges so most pupils are able to attend – it also has an almost full complement of qualified teachers showing that it is not all doom and gloom, though with my laptop power fading, it will be for me in a few minutes!

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Tuesday 11th May – To Gwanda

2010-05-17T19:43:00.003+01:00

A drive out of town today to visit the Edward Ndlovu Memorial Library and other institutions in Gwanda that benefit from support via the Bulawayo Committee. The library is funded through the Edward Ndlovu Memorial Trust and well-stocked with plenty of well-used, and well-organised BAI books. It is a real community library with storytelling (the kids enjoyed a reading of Handa's surprise), a long-standing book box scheme for 26 schools and a 'study circle' programme which provides information to groups to support activities such a vegetable gardening and nutrition.

Afterwards, I visit Gwanda Hospital where there is a multidisciplinary school for nurses, midwives and other medics. The library is full of mainly outdated books with a few from BAI. I talk to some students and few seem to use the library though seven are members of the memorial library. At present, the hospital has no qualified doctors making the copy of Where there is no doctor very apt, but when sending this book it was not expected that there would be no doctor in a hospital!Last stop in Gwanda is the Joshua Nkomo Polytechnic. The library is an extraordinary building part spider, part space ship, and perfectly designed for the local baboons who break in from time to time. Like many of the higher education institutions here, the book stock is mainly from BAI.

Monday 10th May – back in Bulawayo

2010-05-17T19:37:00.004+01:00

So I'm back in Bulawayo for the first time in 9 years and I'll be retreading some ground, starting with the Bulawayo Public Library. This is a self-run library over 100 years old and although it now has a slightly dated feel (like a British library stuck in 1965, computer centre apart), it is still a very well run and organised library. The library has separate sections for children, students, and adults and also includes a braille corner, good book displays, a red carpet room for premium members, and runs a mobile library van to schools. BAI books from Mills and Boon and Harry Potter to A-Level Physics and business accounting have been extensively used and frequently borrowed.

I then walk around the corner to the library at the National University of Science and Technology which is cramped and, especially in recent years, very reliant on BAI books. Nine years ago, they were set to move to a new library but it is has been nine years of stagnation, so the move has never happened. There has been no money to but books for several years. Next to the British Council where I am to meet the Bulawayo Book Distribution Committee, where it is very apparent that times are still extremely difficult. Bulawayo, and wider Matebeleland, being nearer to South Africa, more Ndebele than Shona, and politically more MDC than Mugabe's ZANU-PF, has perhaps seen a bigger exodus of professionals including teachers than other parts of Zimbabwe. In total, it is estimated that 45,000 teachers have left the profession in the last decade and departed for South Africa or other neighbouring countries, and those that are left behind are often poorly motivated and not always paid.

In the afternoon, I visit two of the nine municipal libraries, which have been very under-staffed and under-resourced in recent years, with many staff leaving, but now new library have been recruited. The second library opened in 2008 and is a new one and needs more books to fill up it up. BAI books are well used but the lack of teachers (and motivated teachers) in recent years and the inability of pupils to pay school fees has led to less use of the library. In the evening, I have dinner at Maureen Stewart's (the British Council Manager's) house. In advance, I am warned there may be no water (many urban communities are having to use water pumps again). As it turns out, it has come back on, but instead it is the electricity that has gone.

Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th May: 24 hours in Victoria Falls

2010-05-17T19:15:00.011+01:00

So it's the weekend, and on my third visit to Zimbabwe I finally make it to Victoria Falls for a brief 24 hour stopover. Of course, working for BAI means that a visit to Victoria Falls does not start with the falls themselves. I am picked up at the airport by Douglas Siatimba, the Victoria Falls Librarian, and Sindiso Tshuma of the local Lusumpuko Education Trust, and am taken to the Public Library. The library has only been open 12 years but makes a big difference as there is not another library for miles. It is well organised and has many books which have to be retrieved from Bulawayo, 435km away. The librarian is also trying to establish 3 community libraries, and shows me a picture of one built in a vernacular, Zimbabwean style. The nearest of the 3 libraries is 60km away with no libraries in between. Afterwards I am taken to the Big Tree (a huge baobab tree over 1000 years old) , and then make it onto a boat to catch the sun set on the Zambezi. I can hear the falls but still have not seen them!

On Sunday, I get up early to make my way to the falls, and pass three elephants on the path between the town and falls. I walk along the path with someone who works at the Falls who assures me it is fine – elephants often visit the town!
The falls are as spectacular as you would imagine, though there is a lot of spray, and I am wet through quickly as they are in full flow at this time of year. Afterwards, Douglas and Sindiso, who have turned out to be most excellent local guides, take me to see a view of the Zambezi gorge followed by a snappy visit to a crocodile farm, passing more elephants on the way.

Then, an eventful 24 hours after I arrived, they drop me off at the airport. Air Zimbabwe, despite the doubts of many, gets to me to Bulawayo in the evening on time, ready for the week ahead.

Friday 7th May: Book handovers, pigs and Bob Mugabe

2010-05-17T19:08:00.002+01:00

The morning begins with a visit to the British Council, who provide valuable assistance in clearing the BAI shipments into Zimbabwe, and are happy to continue to do so. We then proceed to a book handover ceremony involving 11 high schools that receive book donations from the Harare Distribution Committee. Very smart pupils in blazers are in attendance and the occasion goes well. I am interviewed by the Herald newspaper afterwards and talk soundbites - education is the route out of poverty, books change lives!

After the ceremony we head out of Harare to a rural high school, St John's. The school is well kept and has an impressive quality about it. It turns out that the students have built ¾ of the school buildings themselves and they are of a good quality too. The library is big but mostly full of outdated books, except for a number received recently from BAI. Most of the BAI books are kept behind the librarian's desk for reference only. The borrowing record shows that the pupils are avid readers, and the head talks about this 'injection and infusion of books' which has helped pupils to 'explore and learn new things', including one student who has learnt to play guitar with a BAI book. After the library, we have a tour of the schools grounds and see pigs, rabbits and vegetable gardens which are all key ingredients to keeping the school self-sufficient. Impressively, around 500 of the 800 pupils are girls. Unfortunately, over the road at the primary school, the library has a desolate and dusty air, and BAI books are hard to find amongst the shelves which tower over one side of the room. It is clear that the library needs better care and that to make the most of what is a reasonable space will require training. On the way back, the first of four motorcyclists is a sign that big Bob Mugabe's motorcade is about to pass, as it soon does, on his return from a state visit to Tanzania.

This brings me to the end of my visits in Harare. It seems that 2008 marked the nadir for Zimbabwe with the cholera outbreak, hyper-inflation and tensions on the street. People are beginning to cautiously look forward and things seem relatively back to normal but the future remains very uncertain, and there are worries that the peace will only last until the next election. Talking of elections, in the evening, I catch up belatedly with the UK election and am not too surprised to see that my old home town of Brighton has elected a green MP, but from here, the UK seems very distant and the politics of a hung parliament very far away.

The Cat in the Hat is book of the day

2010-05-06T19:07:00.008+01:00

The day begins with a visit to the National Association of NGOs (NANGO) which has a small resource centre used by researchers and students. The next stop is an informal school run by the Viva Network, situated in the compound of Harare's Presbyterian church. Viva Network run a number of informal schools for street children and obtained BAI books from the Harare Distribution Committee about a year ago. The books are kept in plastic boxes with games and other educational resources. I sit in on an interactive reading of the Dr Seuss classic The Cat in the Hat which is followed up with a cat in the hat jigsaw puzzle which the kids takes turns to complete. Some of the older children are read or read themselves English readers and a book of folk tales in Shona, the local language. The school I visited has 60-70 children and the best will get support to go onto more formal schooling, and some former pupils now work for the Viva Network itself. The books are giving them a good start and are clearly enjoyed.

After the Viva Network, it is back to the world of academia with a visit to the Zimbabwe Open University, which like Open Universities elsewhere, aims to make higher education more accessible. I visit their regional centre library which is small for the number of students they have. BAI books are clearly in much demand, but much more are needed in subjects like economics, counselling, sports development and agriculture. And the centre I am visiting is one of ten! Nearly half the books must be from BAI and they have had no money to buy books for 3-4 years.

I end the day visiting the Zimbabwe Women's Resource Centre and Network (ZWRCN) which aims to empower women through the provision of information. The resource centre is well organised and has room for quite a number of readers, and the users range from students and researchers to NGO workers, and four of the users that I talk to are studying at the Women's University that I visited yesterday. To extend their services, ZWRCN are also working with two library services that I will be visiting next week - the Edward Ndlovu Memorial Library in Gwanda and the Rural Libraries and Resources Development Programme based in Bulawayo. In the evening I give a talk to Harare Central Rotary Club and once again it is clear that the work of Rotary here in Zimbabwe is very supportive of BAI's book donation programme.

Breakfast at dawn

2010-05-05T18:40:00.009+01:00

I begin the day telling the Africa Dawn Rotary Club (it does indeed meet at dawn or rather just after at 7am!) about Book Aid International over a breakfast meeting and thank Rotary for their assistance which as well as distributing books includes organising activities during national literacy month and providing essential training for teacher-librarians. I visit ZACRO next, an impressive prison welfare organisation, supporting the rehabilitation of prisoners, which has set up 3 prison libraries utilising BAI books but wants to set up 65 more!

The Harare hospital is the next destination, where BAI books are much appreciated in the school of nursing, which now sees virtually all students pass thanks they say to BAI books – only 3 students failed in the last exams compared to 20 before and the books are the only real difference. The principal tutor tells me with a suitable medical analogy that 'what we teach them in class is only a skeleton, now students can research on their own'.

Next is City of Harare Libraries. The HQ library, Highfield, has deteriorated much since I visited it in 2002, with a leaky roof and stalactites forming! The other two I visit are not too bad, but the city library service, which has also introduced charges recently, is very under-resourced,and a far cry from what it used to be, despite the best intentions of its librarians. Library users tell me that they need more books on commerce but several were using BAI books on motor vehicle mechanics and accountancy. One named beautifully in the African way as Honest, was using a geography book but told me (appropriately to her name) that she would prefer a different one, Geography- An Integrated Approach, which is also one of BAI's most requested books!

Young Rotarians known as Rotaractors have been helping to set up a school mobile library scheme based on two clusters of schools. I visit the two schools that hold the main stock and whilst it is clear the scheme has some way to go, both schools are using the books and keen to encourage reading. The schools and the city library service discuss ways for pupils to also use the public library as the books available in the schools (which have 1800 pupils each) are too limited.

The last visit of a busy day takes me to the Women's University in Africa, a university we have been supporting since it started 8 years or so ago. Like many younger universities, it has an enthusiastic staff and is very appreciative of BAI support. The library only has 4000 books, about half of which are from BAI, and many BAI books were in use in the library.

Harare seems little changed at a glance, but economically the country has been hit hard. Everything is now paid for in $US and although the local Spar is once again full with as wide a range of food as anywhere else in the world (the shelves were empty not so long ago), and there is fuel for transport (which was not the case in 2002), it is clear that the $US is only providing a sticky plaster to bigger problems that have yet to be overcome. Libraries of all sorts have seen their budgets collapse and most cannot afford books any more.

I finish a busy day with a drink in the beautiful Bronte Hotel gardens before heading over the road to my cheaper hotel for a good night's rest!

Tuesday May 4: Book Aid International back in Zimbabwe

2010-05-05T18:33:00.008+01:00

This is Rob Sarjant, BAI's Head of Programmes and Operations, reporting from Zimbabwe, on BAI's first visit there since 2004, and my first since 2002. I am expecting many changes as the last few years have been, as most people know, difficult in Zimbabwe but we have been told that things are now gradually improving and it is a good time to visit.

I touchdown in Harare a little late after cold fog delayed the connecting flight from Jo'burg. I drop my things off at the hotel and head straight to my first meeting which is with members of the Harare Distribution Committee, one of two committees in Zimbabwe that help clear our consignments through customs and distribute the books throughout Zimbabwe.

It is clear that they have done a tremendous job and are distributing books widely, often with the help of local Rotary clubs. I finish the day at the University of Zimbabwe Library where many BAI books are on reserve for 2 hours only borrowing as they are so popular. Books are sorted and distributed by the Committee at the University.

Friday 26th March: Spice island libraries

2010-04-12T17:04:00.005+01:00

Hannah: Flying over the water to Zanzibar, a semi-autonomous island 2 hours off the coast of Tanzania. We were met at immigration by Hamid Juma, Director of the Zanzibar Library Service. Their spanking new library in Stone Town, the capital city of the island, is one of the most beautiful library buildings we’ve seen this trip, with the traditional carved doors of the area. They are still settling in, but they are clearly trying new ways of displaying their stock, especially in the children’s section which was bright, airy and included lots of posters and child friendly bookshelves.

Rob: Then we began the whirlwind section of our day, as we get around 6 more libraries that fall into two main groups – Teachers Centres which also serve as district libraries for communities, and primary schools where the pupils have been benefitting from small ‘book boxes’ of fiction books for children in both Swahili and English. We are hoping to receive funding to extend this scheme to ten more schools and wanted to see how the model was working.

Karen: For me, the most memorable visit of the day was to Bububu primary school, which serves around 6000 children who attend in two shifts, served by nearly 70 teachers. Class sizes can be up to 70, and textbooks may have to be shared by 10 children, who are fitted into the classrooms by sitting on the floor without any furniture. Despite this, Hamid tells us it’s considered one of the best schools in the area, with an unusually high number of children going on to study at secondary school. With this many children, it’s clear the number of fiction books provided by the book box can never be sufficient, but the headmaster still allows the children to borrow the books, encouraging their interest in reading both English and Swahili. We were surprised to see how enthusiastic young children are about reading and understanding English – primary school is taught in Swahili and secondary school is taught in English, but they all seemed very aware of how learning English early on could help their chances later. We will need to talk more about how the project could be expanded, but we finish our last official visit feeling optimistic about the opportunities to help development in libraries in Tanzania and Zanzibar.

We are writing this on a terrace overlooking Stone Town in Zanzibar, with a well deserved drink at our elbows. Looking back on the week, Karen is tired but optimistic, and will be going back to Camberwell, London with a renewed sense of purpose. Hannah has got some great footage of the readers of our books and can’t believe how much of a difference they can make – it’s been a great opportunity to find out what happens after the funding comes in! And Rob would be relaxing, but is already thinking about his next trip to Zimbabwe in May, where no doubt he will be blogging enthusiastically – and Karen will be following up the contacts she makes in a project development trip in July for what we hope will be the first of many repeat visits to Tanzania.

Thursday 25th March: Breakfast with Monkeys

2010-04-12T15:47:00.016+01:00

Karen: The need to fend of the attentions of monkeys keen on my breakfast banana was not helped by another early start, as we left Tanga and headed back ‘home’ to Dar es Salaam after two nights away.

We were held up by a couple of the all too frequent road accidents, and were late for our second meeting with Mama Africa at the Central Library. Luckily, we were still able to get some great footage of children enjoying their new space and an interview with the ever-inspiring Mama Africa herself.

Hannah: Our last appointment in Dar-es-Salaam was at the headquarters of the Open University of Tanzania (OUT). They have a very good library with mostly relevant books, which according to the librarian are about 90% donated by Book Aid International. They are dealing with the problems of overcrowding as their courses become ever more popular, by seating students outside in two large permanent tents. We are more used to seeing reading tents for children, but it was heartening to see how busy it was as people finished their day jobs and got on with studying together.

Rob: We are long standing supporters of OUT, and it’s great to see opportunities given to people who may otherwise have missed out on the chances that education can offer. An early night was in order as a 5am start beckoned as we prepared to leave Dar after a packed 5 days and travel by ferry to Zanzibar.

Wednesday 24th March: Falling for Tanga

2010-04-12T15:39:00.007+01:00

Karen: After a five hour drive, we arrived in Tanga on the coast above Dar es Salaam, and immediately went to see Tanga Regional Library, a beautiful building in dire need of repair. Holes in the roof and ceiling were being mended slowly and the stock was outdated, though very well organised with an eager new librarian looking to introduce new activities and restore the library to its former grandeur. After the stock is weeded to remove outdated books, a donation from Book Aid International could really make a difference – the library is obviously well used by the community in Tanzania’s third largest city.

Rob: We also had a visit to a secondary school in the area which had recently benefitted from renovation by volunteers from Read International, a UK based charity that we support with book donations. The library was created from what had been a ruin of a room, but again, book stock was very low for the number of children who were obviously keen to use it. Hannah filmed some great interviews, whilst Karen and I discussed what might be possible with some follow-up from Read International.

Hannah: Our last appointment was with a local NGO, the Tanga Youth Development Association, where we discussed the exciting possibility of setting up a community library in the region of Tanga to particularly benefit young people looking to maximise their opportunities in life.

Tuesday 23rd March: On the Road

2010-04-12T15:27:00.007+01:00

Hannah: We started with a longish drive (3 hours is long by most standards, but not compared to the drive we know we’ve got coming up tomorrow!) to Morogoro to the west of Dar es Salaam. On the way, we had our first glimpse of the Tanzanian countryside after what seemed like hours of traffic jams in Dar. On the way there, Karen and I were excited to see baboons on the side of the road. Even Rob, after 20 trips to Africa, was pulling out his camera trying to take a picture.

Rob: Once we finally reached Morogoro, we were pleased to see the children’s book corner that Book Aid International is helping to secure funds for was up and running and being well used. The children were clearly enjoying an opportunity for their own space within the library, playing games and reading books in a comfortable environment.

Karen: Our afternoon visits were both university libraries - Sokoine University, which is also the national library of agriculture, and Mzumbe University. Both are growing very quickly as more people choose to carry on their education, but we found a very outdated book stock and insufficient resources for the number of students they serve. However, we left feeling optimistic we could help with relevant and high quality books at both universities, who had enthusiastic staff and quite comprehensive IT systems in place.

Monday, 22nd March: Finding our feet in Dar

2010-04-12T15:08:00.010+01:00

Hannah: The first day of any trip traditionally starts with a visit to the National Central Library, and it was a great introduction for Karen and I to meet Dr. Alli Mcharazo, Director General of the Tanzania National Library Services Board (TLSB). We were also really excited to see the first of the Children’s Library Corners, which we received funding for at the end of last year.

Karen: As a former Children’s Librarian, I was inspired by the passion of ‘Mama Africa’ the incredibly energetic and enthusiastic leader of the project. The sunny room that had been provided for the Children’s Corner, with its comfortable cushions and maps was a welcoming environment for any child visiting the library. Although they are still waiting for the final purchase of books in Swahili, the local language of primary school instruction, it was clear that the corner is already well used and well loved.

Rob: The afternoon was earmarked for visiting the School of Library and Archival Documentation Studies (SLADS). The school has expanded rapidly in the town of Bagamoyo to support over 400 students, housed in a campus on the outskirts of the town. We were able to meet the students and talk to them about our work – they had very insightful questions about how we pick partners and libraries to send books to and the use of ICTs in our work. It is encouraging to see that the rapid expansion of the college means that being a librarian is now, more than ever seen as a viable and attractive career among the young people of Tanzania.

Karen: We were pleased to be invited to Alli’s home in the evening for dinner and to discuss the future of library development in Tanzania. A busy day tomorrow means that an early night was the sensible option!

Sunday 21st March: Into Africa

2010-04-12T15:03:00.003+01:00

Karen: The first glimpse of Africa proves to be something of an anticlimax, in cold, dark, rainy Nairobi at 6.00 am – remarkably similar to cold, dark, rainy Heathrow at 7.00 pm the day before. Luckily, by the time we made our way to Dar es Salaam and touched down, the rain had stopped, the sun had come up, and everything was looking more promising.

Rob: We had planned to look around Dar es Salaam in the afternoon, but sleep depravation and the soupy heat kept us confined to our hotel until our meeting with Laela from Read International in the evening. Read International’s model for providing books in Tanzania is very different form our own, but it was good to catch up with a fellow NGO and swap experiences.

Tanzania Libraries Tour

2010-04-12T14:42:00.007+01:00

So here we are in Tanzania: two rookies and an old hand. Karen Sharkey, new Programme Development Librarian at Book Aid International and Hannah Watson, Joint Head of Fundraising and Communications have both never been to Africa before, whereas Rob Sarjant, Head of Programmes and Operations, is a veteran of 16 years and nearly 20 trips. Karen is on this week long trip to meet the partners she will be developing projects with in her role as ‘desk officer’ for Tanzania, Hannah has come along to see what projects she’s fundraising for and to film the people who use the libraries and projects supported by Book Aid International, and Rob is here to keep Hannah and Karen in line, make necessary introductions and ensure that the whole trip goes smoothly in preparation for Karen’s solo trips later in the year. So here we all go…

Wednesday 11th November, Workshop, day three

2009-11-11T11:35:00.004Z

We begin the day by visiting the only public library in Puntland. The library has many books from the US based Books for Africa, most of which are relevant, and it is located in an impressive building which serves as a resource for civil society. There are workshops running all over the building it seems. Back at our workshop, we agree the library could be improved by better labelling of the shelves and better organisation by subject. We discuss girls and libraries, as in Hargeisa. One group mentions that there are 'cultural problems' for females to work with males. After discussion we agree that females and males tend to sit separately. Whether this is considered a cultural problem or not, certainly in the libraries, girls sit separately from the boys, and often at the back of the library. One group suggest libraries for boys and libraries for girls. At the end, the participants provide positive feedback on the workshop and seem to leave happy - one says the most useful thing he learnt was that 'reading is food for the mind and imagination'. Tomorrow, I begin the long journey home to London via Nairobi, with perhaps a last library visit to the teachers' college here if there is time before the flight.

Tuesday 10th November, workshop, day 2.

2009-11-10T11:28:00.008Z

We continue to make good progress today and have time to look at the lack of a reading culture in Puntland. With virtually no local publishing, a reliance on a limited supply of donated books, few libraries, and a predominantly oral and nomadic culture, it is not surprising that the reading culture here is not strong. We look at ways that librarians can start to address this situation and it is suggested that we need to raise awareness in the community that reading changes lives. Reading promotion will be something new here, and I hope the librarians take up my suggestions to start running reading activities and events on days such as World Book Day and on a more regular basis. Tomorrow, as part of the workshop, we visit the one public library in Puntland.

Monday 9th November - running reader friendly libraries, Puntland, workshop, day one

2009-11-09T11:07:00.007Z

And now for a repeat run of the workshop I delivered in Hargeisa last week. There are less participants this time with 10 school librarians taking part, plus librarians from a local community library and a teachers' college. In contrast to Somaliland, all the librarians seem to be paid by their school so there is not the same lack of 'incentives' issue but they do not seem to have had much training. They are also quiter than in Somaliland but claim to understand me well enough so there is no translation into Somali. We therefore seem to race through the material until a few of the participants begin to struggle with the delights of the Dewey Decimal Classification System, where we shall begin again tomorrow .....

Sunday 8th November - Garowe

2009-11-08T09:12:00.005Z

Up at 5.30am to catch the UN Humanitarian Air Service flight to Garowe. There are just 6 passengers and we land 2 hours later in the middle of nowhere with hardly a building in sight. Africa Education Trust’s staff greet me and I am taken to the Care International Guest House in Garowe, 40 km from the airport, accompanied by the usual armed escort. Soon after, we visit one of the two AET supported libraries in Garowe – the school has a good learner-centred ethos, with a Head teacher keen to improve the school. Half a class is in the library doing an assignment on desertification in Puntland. I speak to Abdul Kader who tells me that it is 'unquestionable' that the library improves his language skills and academic performance. He likes to read novels to improve his English and would like cassettes so that he can also listen. Abdul and his friends are anxious that the next consignment of books arrives in time for their exams next June. Like many of the shops in Garowe itself, the library exterior is brightly illustrated with a painting so no-one can miss the library. Overall, an impressive school. Later on, we visit the second school library - Al-Hawa - all the books face outwards so the arrangement of the books needs to be improved, but a number of girls come in to use the library. Nearly half the students are girls at this school, which is hugely positive

Saturday 7th November - books and prosthetic legs

2009-11-07T14:40:00.007Z

It's the start of the working week here in Hargeisa, and for me, another day to look at libraries in Hargeisa. We start at the LEDAT (Local Economic Development and Appropriate Technology) Resource Centre which has a well organised and busy library. There are many books on development but the Centre also acts as a community library and a busy one at that. The chairs are all taken, so users are sitting on mats and on the steps outside to read the books. There is also a curtained off section for girls only so that girls are not too shy to use the library. Most visitors to the library are using Book Aid International secondary textbooks.

After that we visit the Resource Centre of the Disability Action Network (DAN), which has just a few specialist books from Book Aid International (such as Disabled Village Children) and a few books from other organisations. We are given a tour of DAN’s work, which incudes a rehabilitation/physiotherapy unit and a workshop making equipment for the disabled including wheelchairs, prosthetic legs, and a variety of adapted shoes. It all looks well-resourced and professional, and I leave feeling impressed. Soon after, we pass a sign explaining that this minefield has been cleared by The Halo Trust, as is the case with most of the land around Hargeisa. The mines have more or less been cleared, they are not the only source of disability, but until recently, they posed a significant threat - see http://www.halotrust.org/somaliland.html

Then on to the University of Hargeisa to see this young university’s library. The stock is relatively OK, with many books from the Somali diaspora and a small amount from Book Aid International, but there are shortages in many subject areas such as construction and environmental science where books are totally lacking. An American teaching English at the University tells me that he has to start from the beginning with most students as the English is so poor, even at this level, so books on learning English are also key. Tonight is my last night in Hargeisa before flying out to Garowe in the neighbouring Puntland Sate of Somalia, which though not close to the coast, is said to be awash with pirate money!

Friday 6th - running reader-friendly libraries, day 3

2009-11-06T09:55:00.003Z

Friday is normally a day off in Somaliland but the participants have agreed to work until 11.30am. We start the day visiting the Africa Educational Trust (AET) library where participants have the chance to quiz the librarian about the library (see last Sunday’s entry) which is orderly and organised. Afterwards, we discuss lending books – most librarians are reluctant as the library stocks are relatively small. I point out research from Tanzania that concludes that pupils in schools which lend books do better academically and improve their reading abilities. We then looking at the issue of girls using libraries. There are barriers restricting use because girls have a lot of domestic work and are shy to sit with boys. Particpants suggest sensitising teachers, parents and schools to the importance of girls using libraries and also suggest special opening sessions for girls and sitting sections for girls. The introduction of single-sex libraries is also suggested (in some schools, there are single-sex classes). The women at the workshop are less shy today and contribute more, suggesting that shyness can be overcome! Overall, the workshop has gone well , and participants want a workshop every year now!

Thursday 5th - running reader-friendly libraries, day 2

2009-11-06T09:37:00.001Z

Today, we looked at creating attractive libraries for readers. Participants came up with many ideas but perhaps the most important one was the role and character of the librarian. A friendly, creative librarian is the starting point for a good welcoming library. Of course the book stock and library environment are also key, as is good library organisation. I take the participants through the Dewey Decimal Classification System – and provide some book titles for them to classify. It is surprisingly quite a fun session. It is soon apparent that teaching is a bit hidden in the scheme as three out of four groups classify the Teaching Handbook wrongly (370, Education, for those who want to know!), but the participants seemed to enjoy the challenge.

Wednesday 4th - running reader-friendly libraries, day one

2009-11-06T09:33:00.003Z

Having seen many libraries over the last few days, today I ran day one of a workshop for librarians, mostly from secondary schools but also Africa Education Trust outreach officers. Participants are mainly from Somaliland but a few have made it from Mogadishu where AET have programmes in South and Central Somalia. The participants are active and quick to engage, though the women are a little quieter. We look at the role of the library and librarians, and the tasks of library committees. It is soon apparent that one problem is the lack of ‘incentives’, ‘encouragements’ and ‘motivation’ for librarians i.e. pay. Most librarians receive no pay but they did for a few years up until 2006 thanks to donor support. At present, some are volunteers and some also teach.

This is always a difficult issue because so many libraries are dependent on donor support to run effectively, and education authorities , especially here in Somaliland, have few resources to offer. We discuss opportunities to raise funds in the local community, and I suggest that each library committee meets and brainstorms to try to come up with ideas. I can see there are ideas but I am not sure that they will raise sufficient funds to keep the libraries open more often and provide the right ‘incentives’ for the librarians.

Tuesday 3rd November - to Borama

2009-11-05T14:38:00.004Z

A long bumpy journey to Borama, a town near the Ethiopia border. At one point we pass a farm under two conjoined hills, one is in Ethiopia and one in Somaliland, and the farm is equally split. The land is higher, a little greener and more agricultural than yesterday's journey. We visit a primary and secondary school with good libraries but then a third library has a store room rather than a properly functioning library. The books are used in classrooms and can be borrowed by older students, but a library would improve things tremendously. We are shown a large hall which they say will house the library. Then over more bumps to Amoud University, a young growing university a little out of town. The library is good, but there are 100s of copies of some textbooks from the US, not all of which are appropriate or up-to-date. Academic standards are hindered by a lack of good English, and the vice-Dean requests more books on learning English. It's a good example of how sending just any books to libraries doesn't work - the books need to meet the needs of the people who will be reading them. That's why at Book Aid International we always get request forms from our partners at the start of the year so we know what their libraries need. In the libraries many students are reading English as a Foreign Language textbooks. Back in Hargeisa, we pass the General Treading Centre!

Monday 2nd November - to the sea

2009-11-05T14:36:00.003Z

A journey to the coast today, travelling through dry and arid country, only broken up by camels, the occasional abandoned tank and villages still showing the scars of war from more than 15 years ago. The libraries in Berbera are all within walking distance set in a primary school, secondary school and the Africa EducationTrust area office. Disappointingly, most of the Book Aid International books in the secondary school have been stolen. We'll need to work with AET and the schools to find ways to stop this from happening. After the libraries, we have some sweet Somali tea at a café, then head on through crumbling old Berbera with its buildings dating back 200 years, and onwards until we reach the sea. It is warm and I have a paddle, watched by our two armed escorts with their AK47s, who also enjoy a stroll along the beach. We eat fresh fish before returning to Hargeisa.

Sunday Ist November

2009-11-01T10:34:00.013Z

Change of plan and visited libraries in Hargeisa today including three schools, one community library and the Africa Educational Trust (AET) resource centre.

The schools had good-sized rooms for their libraries and science books were very popular, especially those that matched the syllabus. Readers had left behind on the reading tables Treasure Island, Harry Potter and Lemony Snicket novels, so there is also some reading for pleasure.

The AET resource centre was very popular - it is likely to have been visited 17,000 times this year. University students and secondary school students were using it whilst I was there.

Two I spoke to wanted to go on and become a pharmacist and engineer, whilst another, now studying at University, had been using the centre since he was in grade 3 at school. Lots of Book Aid International books were in use. There was only one female though - partly because not many girls go beyond primary school, but in the schools, up to a quarter of students were female.

Helping to rebuild Somaliland

2009-10-31T16:42:00.014Z

Hi, this is Rob Sarjant, Head of Programmes and Operations at Book Aid International, reporting directly from Somaliland on our work here.

After a day spent in traffic-choked Nairobi visiting Kenya National Library Service and the Slums Information and Development Resource Centres (sadly, their main library burnt down earlier this year and needs a lot of support), I took a small EC plane or ECHO flight this morning to Hargeisa, Somaliland. Whilst here, I will assess our book donation support and deliver a workshop for teacher librarians. Book Aid International works closely with the Africa Educational Trust who heve a local office here and have helped establish many libraries.

This is my first visit to Somaliland which, though officially a part of Somalia in the eyes of the world, sees itself as very much an independent state. It has been operating that way fairly successfuly and peacefully for over 15 years, but it is a fledgling state. Libraries are seen as one way to help rebuild and support the country.

Over the next couple of days I will be travelling out from the capital, to two towns, Berbera and Borama, to see the libraries there. Although Somaliland is peaceful, it is still recommended to travel with armed guards - when studying to become a librarian many years ago, I would never have expected this!

it's complete!

2008-10-13T10:45:00.003+01:00

The deed is done and I live to tell the tale!

If I had to choose one word to describe the experience? Excruciating! In all honestly if I had known how painful it was to be, not sure I'd have been able to see it through. Sometimes blissful ignorance is the best strategy I suppose! But now I can look back at the experience from the comfort of my desk, with nothing but some aching limbs to remind me of yesterday's challenge, so it's actually now just a sense of pride and RELIEF that prevails!

It was something of a scorcher, 23 degrees and I even managed to get sunburnt - not something you'd think to worry about in October! Other than that the conditions were pretty ideal, and there were regular water stations too to fend off dehydration. The first few miles flew by in a haze of adrenaline, but by mile 6 I was flagging - and the knowledge I wasn't even half way through did little to lift my spirits!

The course itself was absolutely stunning - I may not have been in the best position to enjoy it, but just having such beautiful surroundings was inspiring in itself. Mercifully enough it was pretty flat too which was a godsend!

I was so lucky to have friends colleagues and family there to support me. Just knowing they were in the crowds was such a lift. And pigheaded pride alone did not want them to catch me walking! But also thinking about everyone who has sponsored me in good faith, there was no way I could let them down! The realisation that my sponsorship tally will enable over 300 brand new books to go to sub-Saharan Africa is very rewarding in itself.

So a big big thank you to everyone who has supported me - financially, personally and professionally - it was a day that I will never forget!

2008-10-08T15:45:00.000+01:00

It's official - sub one week til the Big Day!

The last few weeks have been tricky, mainly due to trying to track down my perfect pair of trainers (perish the thought of lasting the distance in shoes that are anything other than perfect!) The first pair resulted in some of the severest blisters I have ever laid eyes on. At first I attributed this to 'wearing them in' and proceded to ignore them as best I could. This of course only served to aggravate the existing wounds and saw me out of action for a week! Disastrous. Fortunately enough, I took them back and, causing something of a scene (!) was rewarded with a new pair which have proved far more successful and are ready for the onslaught that awaits.

This final week I have been told it is inadvisable to stretch yourself too much, so am only planning one short run and a couple of walks to keep me ticking over before Sunday. I look forward to reporting back once the deed is done... I like the idea of thinking of it in retrospect!

2008-08-19T15:58:00.002+01:00

Hi again!
Sorry for the prolonged silence here - training had to be somewhat sidelined during my three week holiday in Morocco (desert runs in 45 degree heat isn't something I quite feel up to just yet.) Since my return 2 weeks ago however, I have been slowly building up my stamina and trying to counteract the effects of three weeks holiday idleness!

At present I am managing to run for an hour, which sees me covering half the 13 mile distance that awaits. With 7 weeks still to go, I hope this puts me on track. I have a friend also running it, which is a huge help. At the weekend we do runs together, including interval training (short sharp stints interspersed with walking) which I find very helpful for leg strength and stamina.
Varying the routes is key I think, I am lucky that I live right between Clapham and Wandsworth common so there is plenty of greenery to get me going. The river along Putney up to Hammersmith is another of my favourite routes.

Well I will keep you posted on all developments as October 12 looms large!

Clara's running a half marathon!

2008-07-03T10:23:00.009+01:00

Hi! Let me introduce myself – I am Clara and work as a Trusts Fundraiser here at Book Aid International.

When the subject of the half marathon came up a few months ago, my initial reaction was one of both horror and disbelief. How could anyone even contemplate tackling such a distance! Who would voluntarily put themselves through the blood, sweat and tears of gruelling training sessions? ‘Me’ was the last word on my mind at this stage!

> Photo: my underused trainers - they won't know what's hit them!

And yet here I am, bracing myself for the 13-mile race on Sunday 12 October. Despite my original worries, the reasons I’m so happy to be taking part in it are in fact multiple. Improved fitness, the sense of achievement, but most importantly raising much-needed funds to get books out to sub-Saharan Africa where they are most desperately needed! Literacy is something we fully take for granted from childhood here, which makes the statistic that 1/5 of the world’s adults are illiterate all the more staggering.

To live life without being able to read a map, a medicine bottle or a voting ballot is something we Westerners can hardly even fathom. By sending out over 500,000 new and carefully selected books each year, Book Aid International is trying to help solve the chronic book shortage and empower Africans to make informed decisions about their everyday lives. At a cost of just £1.25 to send a brand-new book, each and every donation really does go a long way.

I hope you will share my marathon journey with me. If you feel inspired to encourage me through the pain barrier with some sponsorship, I have set up a Just Giving page here.

This weekend I am to be dusting off my trainers for a run around Battersea Park – look forward to updating you on how I fare!

Clara

Clive's visit to Eritrea, Day 4

2007-10-01T11:15:00.000+01:00

> Photo: breaking the bread at our traditional Eritrean dinner

Today we’re in Asmara where Beth is running a workshop on the targeting and distribution of books. I’m here to listen and learn, but Beth and the participants who include our colleagues Gebrenegus at the Ministry of Education and Michael at the British Council, three secondary school librarians who work on the distribution of the Book Aid International books, the Chair of the Library and Information Association of Eritrea, and three curriculum development officers from the Ministry, work hard for the whole day. The workshop covers the targeting and distribution cycle focussing on needs assessment, deciding priorities, selecting and promoting stock, and monitoring and evaluation. There is heated debate on whether we should give priority to books for primary or secondary libraries. After more than an hour’s debate, primary wins the day by a small margin, but the arguments continue over lunch.

> Photo: Beth Murphy's presentation on reading promotion

The other hot topic was the issue of weeding books which are no longer or may never have been used. Where books are in short supply librarians find it difficult to throw out books which may find a reader one day, and they don’t want a library with very few books on the shelves. But others strongly press the case that having unread and out-of-date books puts readers off. By promoting good books, even if there are not that many, readers will be attracted to and use the library. Beth suggests that promoting the books and making the libraries more attractive will bring in a wider spectrum of the community. She points to a display of big books for children in the Dembe Sembel School in Asmara and the display of CD Roms in the British Council as examples of good promotion. The workshop ends with a session on monitoring and evaluation and, of course, an evaluation of the workshop itself which is very positive. I’m hugely impressed by the commitment of the participants and the high level of the discussion, and the professionalism and skill with which Beth has prepared and run the day. After the workshop we have a brief meeting with the new Minister of Education, Semere Russom, a former diplomat and Mayor of Asmara. The Minister gives us an outline of the problems facing Eritrea in building an education system from scratch and thanks Book Aid International for the contribution it has made to overcoming the shortage of books in the country. He will comment on the existing agreement and we will work with officials to agree a new partnership with the Ministry as quickly as possible. We are struck again by the commitment of people from the top down to libraries and reading as a central element of education at all levels.

> Photo: Beth Murphy in conversation with workshop participants

In the evening Mesfin Habtetsion of the British Council hosts a traditional Eritrean meal for us, and colleagues from the Ministry and the Library Association at a wonderful restaurant in a converted house decorated with an extraordinary collection of artefacts from all over the country covering the walls. We talk widely about the country, it’s history and traditions, and the challenges it faces in developing its education system.

A traditional Eritrean fermented honey beer accompanies the meal and a shot of white coffee liquor sends us off into the night after another exhausting, but very satisfying day. Tomorrow is a holiday and we’re planning to watch part of the Meskel festival and make a quick trip down to the coast down what is apparently a spectacular drive, dropping 2,800 meters in less than 100km.

Clive's visit to Eritrea day 3

2007-09-28T14:55:00.000+01:00

Today we set off later, heading south to Decemhare and Mendefera. It's a much shorter trip than yesterday without the precipitous drop in altitude. It takes us through varying landscapes with dry plains with huge rocks, craggy hills and windy roads, and then across to some of Eritrea's most fertile land where the staple grain teff is grown along with mangoes, citrus and other fruit and vegetables.

We visit a range of libraries, nine in all ranging from public to school to community. At Zagre Junior School on the outskirts of Decemhare the library is packed with students during the break. A small girl, who prefers not to give her name or to have her photo taken, is reading Heidi and assures me that it is a wonderful story about somebody foreign. She and her friend like reading books about children. There is, though, a shortage of books at the elementary level.
At Decemhare Secondary School, the librarian tells us that "the BAI books are very useful, with nothing out of the range of the students. Teachers and students use the books, especially the fiction and subject material. We are very grateful to Book Aid for sending us the books".

The public libraries which we visit are being used by students either using the text books which are available here to keep up with their school work, or reading for information or pleasure. At Mendefera, we learn that the public library as well as nine community libraries in the area are being run by the Youth Association. We visit two of the community libraries and meet with Hager Genzay. An extraordinarily articulate and determined young man, he tells us how they re-opened the public library after it had been closed for three years, and planned to build twelve more libraries, nine of which have been completed. Two of the remaining three are urgently needed and he is sure they will find a way to get them operational soon - they have managed to get three new libraries opened in the past year. Responsibility for the public library services has been given to the Youth Association as they are seen as having the drive and commitment to ensure that things get done. With under-35s forming 85% of the population their energy is much needed, and Hager shows why the government has decided to give youth its chance.

> Photo: Hager Genzay

As we go back towards Asmara, we visit one last community library. Then we stop off for a much needed beer to watch the sun go down over the huge plains which make you believe you can see all the way to Sudan hundreds of kilometres away, talking to our Eritrean colleagues, Gebrenegus and Michael, who have done so much for the libraries, education and reading and have an unshakeable belief in the future of its people and their potential. It is a great privilege to be making a contribution to their work.

> Photo: Gebrenegus and the librarian at Derwarwa Community Library

Eritrea Day 2 - Clive's journey continues

2007-09-27T09:24:00.000+01:00

Today fulfilled all our expectations - offering us a chance to see the beauty of the Eritrean countryside and also to see the very positive impact that our books are having on readers.

It offered an improvement on yesterday's frantic pace by quite a long way. At seven Beth and I, accompanied by Micahel and Gebrnegus set off in the cool of a high altitude morning. Asmara sits at about 7,500 ft above sea level - for the two hour trip to Keren. You drop some 5,000 feet in 100 km, and it is one of those drives with breathtaking scenery which you take in during moments when you're not holding your breath as you round yet another hairpin bend wondering whether there might be something coming the other way. The heat also rises with every meter dropped and every minute that passes.

Keren, when you finally reach it, is small town, nestling in a ring of imposing hills. The scene of crucial battles, a little known battle in the Second World War which led to the fall of Eritrea and Ethiopia, and a famous battle which provided the springboard for the victory of the Eritreans in their war of liberation. Keren is of tremendous historical significance, and history is much on our minds and in the conversation as we travel. After lunch we stop briefly at the British cemetry outside the town.

Again we visit a range of libraries, all of them with many well used copies of books sent by Book Aid International and we are made to feel extremely welcome everywhere. Beth is able to talk in some detail to the librarians about what is really useful to them and their readers, and where the gaps are. There is a huge range, from the Islamic School where they are in the middle of a move from Arabic as the language of instruction to English in order, as the Director Mr Mohammed puts it, to reach international standards; to the Keren public library whose librarian, Aster Berhe provides a wonderful service for students and general readers, a children's reading programme on Saturdays, and special programmes for disabled people, to a secondary school highly used with extremely well kept statistics on the use made of its books.

> Photo: young reader enjoying a story book at the Islamic school

Another secondary school has plans to expand to include an outdoor section with concerete tables and benches for the hot summer months when the temperature rises to 46C. A community library has set up three readers' clubs with 20 members each, with two or three people reading a book and discussing it with the group as a way of making best use of few copies. In the late afternoon we end up at the agricultural college which, like all the technical colleges in the country, is preparing to accept a huge new intake in January following a reorganisation of technical education. They have an excellent library and, as they show us around the premises, they take us to see the vineyards set up under the Brothers of de la Salle; you can, of course, buy some of the fruits of their labours and we all come away with at least one bottle and some cactus jam.

> Photo: Beth Murphy, Book Aid International librarian

with Aster Berhe at Keren Public Library

We wind our way back up to Asmara, reaching the hotel after 8.00, with emails to catch up on, blogs to write and pictures to transfer. But a great day demonstrating once again the tremendous work being done by so many committed people to make the education system, supported by a dynamic library service, work despite huge obstacles.

Photos from Eritrea

2007-09-26T14:21:00.000+01:00

Gebrenegus Berhane from the Eritrean Ministry of Education takes a look at the book collection in the library at Sana Secondary School.
Readers at Bana Junior School, Eritrea

Clive's Eritrean journey

2007-09-26T12:31:00.000+01:00

Beth Murphy and I have just spent a busy day with our partners, the British Council and Ministry of Education in Asmara, the capital of Eritrea. We arrived yesterday after a long overnight flight via Cairo which allowed for very little sleep and a 4am arrival. After a few hours rest we had a walk around the incredible and well preserved if somewhat decayed, art deco city centre, and a wonderful welcome at a traditional coffee ceremony with the family of a colleague. Then an early night in anticipation of a very busy day, though the combination of too much coffee and the excitement of a new place made sleep difficult.

We started our first day with a briefing at the British Council with the acting Director Mefsin Habtetsion and our main contact Michael Tekie who is in charge of the very impressive management and librarian training programmes run by the Council, and will be accompanying us on our visits to the various schools and institutions in the course of the week. Part of the training for the librarians is in the Library Information Management System which has been developed by the British Council in Eritrea for use in school and community libraries. We were fortunate that a training programme was in progress and we were introduced to the class, learning the system and the computer skills need to operate it. On being told who we were, one of the participants, a secondary school teacher, said “we are proud of Book Aid who send us new books”, a great endorsement for our work so early in the visit.

A key part of the tour was, of course, to see the Book Aid International shipment which has recently arrived in Asmara and is being sorted for distribution by Kisseri Mehreteab. It is a huge task with over 14,000 books in the shipment. As Michael said, “the book famine in Eritrea has been minimized because of Book Aid International”. But without our local partners, the books would never reach their readers.

During the day, accompanied by Gebrenegus Berhane who is in charge of libraries at the Ministry of Education, we visited a range of libraries at a junior school, a secondary school, a technical college and the nursing college. We were struck by how well organised all the libraries were, although there is not heavy usage at present as the schools have just opened for the new academic year. It is clear that there is still a great need for more books, especially in the sciences and English language. One striking thing about the schools is that there is now parity between the number of girls and boys at secondary level, a new development since Book Aid International’s last visit three years ago. And teachers we talked to all said that girls were doing better in their studies than boys, a familiar story to people coming from the UK, but especially encouraging in the African context.

Between school visits we managed to squeeze in meetings with John Stops, the recently arrived VSO Country Director and the British Ambassador. VSO are involved in a major education programme with 39 volunteers placed in schools and other institutions, and we discussed the possibility of developing wider co-operation between ourselves, VSO and the Ministry. Nick Ashbury, the Ambassador, was helpful in briefing us on the situation in Eritrea and the position of NGOs. It can be a difficult environment, but Book Aid International has good relations with the Ministry of Education and we expect that there will be no problem in extending our partnership agreement.

It has been an exhausting, but hugely informative day. It is my first visit to see what happens to some of the hundreds of thousands of books I see every day in the Camberwell warehouse, and to meet the key people who make sure that at this end, the right book gets to the right person. In Eritrea, at least, they seem to be doing a wonderful job. Tomorrow we go to Keren and Hagaz, two hours to the north of Asmara. More libraries and another interesting day awaits us.

Barbara's trip to Kenya

2007-09-18T17:51:00.000+01:00

Dear colleagues,

Here I am at last! It has been only a week since Rob and I arrived in Kenya and it already feels like I’ve been here forever. I had forgotten how time in Africa runs at its own pace: days are so full of life, excitement and colours that somehow they seem much longer.

We started our visits in Nairobi, where our first stop has been the Kenya National Library Service Headquarters, on the top of a green hill in the upper part of town. The new director, Irene, wasn’t there because she was bringing a new motorcycle mobile library upcountry. She is definitely on the move! There were Book Aid International’s cases lying everywhere, and librarians were busy processing the books to get them ready for readers in local branches all across the country.

The Nairobi Provincial Library besides the Headquarters has a beautiful children section with a room shaped like a theatre where on selected dates kids can go and listen to stories and watch movies, while parents are offered coffee. The librarian told us that parents say that since they started coming regularly to the library, kids have gone a long way in English and composition. Also, ‘they realize that they themselves have missed out a lot not having a library nearby when they were younger’.

There is also a VIP section with braille books and audiobooks. One of the librarians, James, who is totally blind and has worked at KNLS for 6 years, explained to us that they also have a mobile library scheme to bring Braille books to schools for totally blind and reach about 45 centres, mainly primary schools, but also secondary schools and individuals. Apparently the most popular books in Braille are fiction, Bibles, books on HIV/AIDS, on road safety, on youth problems and teenage books.

In the lawn in front of the library there are tents and tables where people can read in the light breeze and the librarians told me that students get there to study even at night after the library is closed. This is what I call keen students!

From Nairobi we headed off on the bumpy roads upcountry with the vehicles kindly offered by Kenya National Library Service. The provincial libraries we visited in Thika, Embu and Meru were always packed with students, so many that some had to sit at the little coloured tables in the kids’ sections when they couldn’t find a free spot elsewhere.

Early in the morning we started the visits to the schools that benefited from the Reading Tents Programme: kids were so excited to have visitors that the car was surrounded by hundred of smiley faces before we could even put one foot on the ground. When we interviewed them on the reading tents they attended last year, at first they were very shy in talking in front of the whole class, but after a while they started telling us so many stories they remembered that I could hardly keep track of them.

Most of the schools we visited had very few books to offer to their students; among those few, some were textbooks provided by the Government, some were old and ruined readers often unsuitable for primary school kids, and all were locked up in the head teachers’ offices, making it very intimidating for the kids to go ask to borrow them. No wonder the kids were so excited by the reading tents and the possibility to touch and play with how many colorful books they wanted!

Kids for Maua Primary School in Naivasha, for example, told us that they all enjoyed the tent very much – especially painting, drawing and a ‘potato and spoon race’ that the teachers organized for them. They said it was great to be able to choose from so many books on the floor of the tent. They told us that ever since that day, they read more than they used to! A little girl called Esther was particularly talkative and I was really moved when she told us how one book that she read at the reading tent has taught her to be nice with people suffering from HIV/AIDS. Kids are also very keen to read in English, and they asked us for books about Africa and other countries, such as Europe and even Mexico!

On Saturday, we headed south for Machakos to visit a reading tent that was running in a local school. It was the first time that I took part in a reading tent and I have to say that it was absolutely great to see the books that I normally see piled up in our warehouse coming to life in the little hands of about 250 grinning kids in their blue, green and burgundy uniforms! During the event, kids had some reading time when they could choose what to read from a pile of books casually laid on a table and it was a lot of fun to look at them going back to their desks carrying as many as they could and trying to look at them all at once. Then they drew, participated in reading and poetry and singing competitions and played out in the field. I will post a clip of a little guy reading aloud for Rob and another one of one of the songs the kids came up with for the music competitions. One of the teachers explained to us that a lot of the songs had a moral content such as the importance of literacy or HIV/AIDS awareness.

In the end, the children were fed with a hot meal and each of the 10 schools that participated was given a collection of 80 books to build a school library as they were trained to do before the reading tent took place.

On Sunday, after an unforgettable drive along breathtaking views of the Rift Valley, we reached the library at the Naivasha Maximum Security Prison. Having never visited a prison before, I was a bit nervous when we crossed the prison gate, but the most unexpected sight was waiting for me on the other side. It was a special day at the Prison: the new National Policy for HIV/AIDS was being launched and on the prison compound there was a huge ceremony with prestigious guests and kids singing for the families of the prison guards. We ended up having lunch among the entourage of the Vice President of Kenya!

In the afternoon we visited the library that is used by more of 600 inmates and many of the 200 staff. The library is part of the prison education centre which works like a traditional school, with a Principal and teachers, who are all inmates. We were able to spend a lot of time with a group of ten inmates who explained to us that Naivasha Maximum Security prison is the only penal institution in the country offering higher education and business education to inmates. There are also hands-on classes in carpentry, car-painting, metalwork etc which produce fantastic products that they showed to us.

Everybody was incredibly welcoming to us and keen to make us understand what a life changing opportunity the library had brought in their daily routine. The Chief Librarian, Joseck Anari, who is also an inmate and has been the librarian for two years, told us that most students at the school are undergoing rehabilitation through formal education, so they use the library to study for their examinations. He said that there are some very keen students who go there everyday. Bonaventure Mukhwana, the Principal, also told us that Book Aid International’s donations are “really helping eradicate illiteracy. Very many inmates arrive having very little education, but when they come in they are admitted here and they start learning”. BAI’s books are also used to stock the smaller libraries in the various buildings of the prison that host up to 400 prisoners each. Kenya National Library Service brings a box of new books to the prison library each month. Inmates asked us for English and fiction, maths and science books at secondary school level, and for economics and business studies textbooks. Vocational students read at the library too, and among others they need books on carpentry, tailoring, metalwork, and mechanics. There is also a great demand for materials on statistics, law, personnel management, IT, auditing, office administration, commerce and marketing. Bonaventure asked us for more accountancy textbooks – the only copies they have are Book Aid International donations.

We are now safely back in Nairobi, and ready to start the Fundraising Training for the East African Book Development Association members, that will keep us busy for the next three days. I will keep you posted!