Articles, Press Releases, News Stories
"Some Ugandans Can Learn To Read, Thanks To UF Student: The student started a drive to stock Ugandan libraries" by Rebekah Hudder
- published February 23, 2007 in The Florida Independent Alligator
and the Washington Week
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"Geographer Hosts Book Drive for Ugandan Village Libraries"
- press release, February 12, 2007
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"Postdocs Touch Hearts, Minds in Uganda" by Dave Jones
- published in Dateline, UC Davis
-
It Takes a Village to Build a Library: Geography Student Promotes Literacy in Uganda" by Yelena Moroz
- published in Alumni CLASnotes, Fall 2006; College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, University of Florida
Recent News
February 2008: Chapman/McGill University donation; Kasiisi Project donation
- The five Community Libraries received 11 boxes of books from Lauren and Colin Chapman and their students of McGill University (Canada). These were mainly academic text books on chemistry, physics, mathematics and biology.
- Elizabeth Ross from Kasiisi Project donated Ugandan school-books for each library, to help students.
- We trust that these books of immediate use will attract more people to the libraries! Thanks a lot for these contributions!
January 2008: Spirit of Uganda Performance; Uganda Committee Update; Busy Libraries; Literacy Exam
- January 26th, Gosia and Freerk table at two "The Spirit of Uganda" performances at the Mondavi Center in Davis and collected some donations. The show featured young Ugandans performing traditional music and dance from Uganda and neighboring countries.
- The BOTW committee in Uganda (Bonny, Francis and Clovice) met and reported on the previous 2 months. There were no major problems. During the Christmas holiday (6 weeks) libraries were very busy with readers. All but one girls on secondary school scholarships were promoted.
- All people enrolled in writing and reading classes for adults did a literacy exam prepared by the teachers together, to close a year of learning, and mark the transition between illiteracy and litteracy. We have not yet received the results, but we do know that the courses impacted many lives.
Books Open the World is now a Registered Non-Profit Charitable Organization in the US
October 2007: Cracow, Poland donation drive; FNI donation
- High-school in Cracow (Poland) started
collection of funds and school-materials for Kigarama
Talents High School in Uganda.
- Fielding-Nair International donates $1000 to Books Open The World to assist with non-profit status fees.
September 2007: More books in Uganda; School resumes for scholarship girls
- 35 boxes with books arrived to Uganda; many thanks to
Innocent Rwego and Patrick Omeja for helping with the
transport of books to Kanyawara.
- 14 girls supported by Books Open The World came back to
school (after holiday break) for III term.
August 2007: Boxes of books begin arriving in Uganda
- The beginning of a total of 40 boxes of books to arrive in August and September 2007 make it to Uganda.
July 2007: Gosia and Freerk in Uganda, local Committee supervisory groups assigned
June 2007: Kayanbeho Community Library launch, Joel in Uganda, Gainesville Team formed and running, Kanyawara PS joins Tutor Program, 20 boxes of books arrive
- A new community library will be launched in June in Kayanbeho, (near Ibaale Secondary and Primary School). The store-front has been renovated; we are only waiting for enough books to arrive.
- Joel visiting the community libraries from June 10-24, 2007
- The Gainesville Team has formed and is up and running. We now have a core group of 4 working on grants, applying for non-profit status, web design, and other promotional activities. Thanks to Jeff Stevens, Buffy Lockette, Matt Loving, and Veronica!
- We add Kanyawara Primary School to the Tutor Program.
- First 20 boxes of books from Davis arrived to Uganda!
May 2007: Book Drive Success, Adult Literacy classes begin in Ruteete
April 2007: First Student Intern, New Adult Literacy Classes begin in Kanyawara, Tutor Program begins, Secondary School Scholarships awarded to 11 girls
- Veronica Lee joined BOTW in April 2007 as the first student intern for the Foundation. Veronica is a senior at the University of Florida’s Department of Women’s Studies. She is actively researching and designing an informational and promotional booklet to be used in fundraising, the new website, and other outreach activities. We look forward working with Veronica and continued support through the Women’s Studies program.
- Books Open The World began adult literacy classes in Rutoro and English at the Kanyawara Community Library. Before this time, only the community library was active and the adjacent room remained vacant. Now we have painted the room, built a table and benches. However, at opening day, there were so many people and not enough space that the deputy headmaster at Kanyawara Primary School proposed we move classes to the school. Since that time, we hold adult literacy classes at Kanyawara PS. There are 46 student total: 30 for Rutoro classes and 16 for English.
- We start the Tutor Program in Kigarama and Mituuli Primary Schools. Every day, one hour before classes and an hour after the school, students can participate in free tutoring. We have 6 teachers in each school that work with us. During the 4-week school holidays, the Tutor Program hires teachers for 4 hours/day for 3 weeks.
- Thanks to the grant from the Nando Peretti: 11 girls — orphans or from very poor families — start their education in Kigarama Talents High School. We hope that whole school will benefit since the extra fees that are received upfront help to pay teachers salaries and develop school infrastructure.
March 2007: Gosia and Freerk in Uganda
- currently Gosia, Freerk continue to work in-country since mid-March running BOTW programs
February 2007: 72 boxes of books sent to Uganda, first 3 girls receive Secondary School Scholarships
January 2007: First Adult Literacy Classes begin
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