By Alex Lang | Rotarian, Trustee, Just Be A Child.
As I write this Report – on a cold, damp, summer’s day in the UK, I think back to the 19th July, when in brilliant sunshine, thirty-five keen volunteers helped to load our 40’ container in one hour, fifty-seven minutes! A record loading time!
A few days later the ship sailed - and I am able to track the progress of the ship carrying our seventh container, en-route to Mombasa – currently, the vessel is in the Gulf of Aden, and is expected at destination within the next two weeks.
Our CEO – and Founder – is flying out to be in Kenya when the ship arrives – to help with Customs clearance etc., and to arrange for its onward transportation to destination at Msambweni.
En-route are 30,000 books, plus other items to be used in the library and learning centre, along with materials for the activities, like arts and crafts, and multi-activity days.
This is how the books will be distributed this year:
5,000 books will form the new library: 2,000 children books from age 0 to teens.1,000 books for adults, 1,000 knowledge type books for both children and adults. And 1,000 textbooks - around 2-3 copies of each subject, age and volume we are given.
Around 500 books are given to our existing libraries to replenish their stock. That's 3,000 books.
1,500 school textbooks are donated to 4-20 nearby schools. It just depends on what type of books we have and how many schools are nearby. We let the teachers in Kenya decide this one.
10,000 assorted books are heading to Homa Bay County and another 10,000 will make their way to Tharaka Nithi.
2,000 books will be donated via our small donation scheme to ten different organisations located all over Kenya.
If we have any books left that we don't need, these are donated to orphanages, hospitals, refugee centres, and anywhere else where children live and learn.
On top of that we are shipping 75,000 pencils, pens, notepads and other types of stationery, toys, furniture, and so much more.
And what happens then – you might ask - we start collecting all over again of course for our eighth library – starting with fundraising to make it happen!
Also, we will continue to support our established libraries and learning centres, provide books to other projects, and engage with our volunteers; in the UK and Kenya.
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