After a busy start to the week with EduSport Foundation, we spent an awe-inspiring few days in Bauleni. We visited a library in one of the schools, Lantana Camara School, the kids were excited to see us and lots of smiling faces soon appeared out of the classrooms. Fred quickly formed a circle and initiated some Zambian energisers, before long the circle was filled with 100kids in school uniforms shouting Konko madeso. After speaking to some of the senior pupils about the library books and asking them 'what education means to them'? We moved onto SWAAZ (Society of Women Against AIDS in Zambia) orphanage and school. This institution offers education and meals to kids who would otherwise be left behind by a society which continues to be blighted by deaths caused by HiV/AIDS. Often when parents pass away and family members are left to care for their children, the costs of Governments Schools which require uniform and learning resources stretch a family beyond its income capacity. This is what makes schools like SWAAZ still an essential part of the fabric of Zambian communities. We were shown into a small classroom where the children were reading their books, also donated by Umutima's library project. Just like the other schools visited in the communities of Libala, Chawama, Kalingalinga and Bauleni the same message from Head Teachers and young people came across consistently. The library books were encouraging a reading culture and the 2nd consignment had proved invaluable because the books were more appropriate for younger age groups and targeted towards less experienced readers. It is always great to hear that learning has taken place and the library project has been able to be even more effective with its second phase thanks to feedback received. It was great to hear Headteachers speak so positively about the impact of the books. I just wish the impact of the library project could directly reach those who worked so hard to make it happen including Derek Keir, Anne Stokes, St Johns School Malborough and the Barr family (and lots of the population of Biggar!) Seeing the children reading, discussing the stories and sharing their learning simply cannot be captured by images, it needs to be seen, heard and experienced first hand. Something that extended way beyond the capacity of my limited photography skills. Just one example was at Libala High School, a school with 2620 registered pupils, the librarian allowed us to speak with two senior pupils who commented on the books improving their study preparations for their end of term exams taking place that week. Pupils at the Secondary School are allowed to take fiction books out of the library for two weeks. The librarian commented that the teenage girls had so far engaged more with the library books, which were donated just a month prior to our visit due to the rainy season, he noted "the girls like the novels for romance" and the ever popular JK Rowling's Harry Potter books had quickly disappeared off the shelves once the library opened. He said the children have seen that some of their favourite TV shows actually come from books, they are now reading rather than watching the Secret Seven was one example given. The teacher at the adjoining Primary School said "we have already seen an improvement in the English of some children. They are allowed to take books home so they can now read not just during school hours" It is not just schools and learners that have benefitted from the library project both BUSA and the EduSport Foundation have utilised the library books as engagement tools in the communities where they work. The EduSport Foundation have established 10 new libraries since the start of 2013; their development strategy coincides with their Go Sisters Goal project (girls empowerment through sport) where schools have been asked to sign a Memorandum of Understanding that EduSport can engage pupils in their programmes, have use of the school facilities to host workshops and existing peer educators/young leaders also have access to their library facilities. Another outcome of the library project was instigated in the community of Chawama, where to test the improvement in reading and understanding of English the community peer leaders organised a debate between schools who have received library books. Based on the success of the first debate, other communities have now expressed an interest in establishing debating competitions between schools involved in the project across Lusaka. One area of future development and request that has come from schools is the need for more dictionaries. Some schools received encyclopaedias for the first time thanks to the second consignment of the library project. However a few teachers commented that they felt the children were learning to read new words and pronounce them correctly but they expressed some concern that the children did not always know the meaning of the new words hence the request for dictionaries. This will be discussed with the library development steering group for the next phase of our commitment to developing literacy and supporting education in Zambia. Overall it was evident how much schools and children are benefitting from the library project. To those that made it possible, you should feel a sense of achievement as the books donated in the UK are truly making a difference and improving literacy in Zambia.
