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 Holes in the roof and ceiling were being mended slowly and the stock was outdated, though very well organised with an eager new librarian looking to introduce new activities and restore the library to its former grandeur. After the stock is weeded to remove outdated books, a donation from Book Aid International could really make a difference – the library is obviously well used by the community in Tanzania’s third largest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.
