Ekitabu Project
In Uganda, English is the national language although a large proportion of the population does not speak it. As a side-effect of recently introduced Primary Universal Education (free), the schools are overcrowded and poorly equipped, with 60-120 students sitting in one classroom.
Right: Students in Kanyawara Primary School (click to enlarge). Kanyawara school receives support from Kasiisi project (www.kasiisiproject.org).
Teaching is further hampered by the lack of school-books. Children's books in Uganda are particularly difficult to find in schools or not available at all. In fact, many Ugandan children grow up without reading even one book except those prescribed for classroom exercises.
The goal of Ekitabu project was to provide three primary schools on the countryside in western Uganda, with story books for children, so that they could enjoy books (Ekitabu in local language) and improve reading skills.
In February 2005 we went to Uganda with 100-kg of books that were sent separately as cargo. In addition, in Kampala (the capital of Uganda) from Fountain Publishers, we bought 150 books, written by African writers on topics important in Uganda, such as AIDS and environment conservation.
Right: Students receiving books at Kigarama school (click to enlarge).
The next step was to visit three schools: Kanyawara, Kiko and Kigarama, to make arrangements with the management (which includes staff and representatives of parents) for an official handover of the books. This is important to ensure that the books will be kept well and made available for the children.
Each school received 200 books for children varying from very basic stories for the beginners to novels. On average each school has 800 pupils divided over seven classes. Books are stored by the school and under the supervision of the librarian loaned to the children.
Right: Students at Kiko school (click to enlarge).
In 2006 we supported Kigarama Talent High School with an Encyclopedia, Dictionaries, an Atlas and story books.
Initiated by Courtenay Tessler, we established a contact between Kigarama school and Davis Senior High School, which resulted in letters exchange between the students from USA and Uganda. At the beginning of October 2006, Kigarama students received a few boxes with books from their friends from Davis High School.