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.
Friday, 6 November 2009
Thursday, 5 November 2009
Tuesday 3rd November - to Borama
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
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, 1 November 2009
Sunday Ist November
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.
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.
Saturday, 31 October 2009
Helping to rebuild Somaliland
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!
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!
Monday, 13 October 2008
it's complete!
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!
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!
Wednesday, 8 October 2008
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!
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!
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