Articles, Press Releases, News Stories
- June 2010 - In June Victor Lawrence, a librarian from Florida, volunteered with ‘Books Open the World’ in Uganda, and he did a great job. He opened two new libraries, made possible by a grant from the Nando Peretti Foundation and many people who have donated books in Davis, CA (USA). The new Kasenda library is near the Kasenda Ecosystem, a small pocket of forest near a crater lake called Ruigo, where four species of monkeys can be seen and lots of birds and butterflies. Richard Tooro of Kabarole Tours & Safari Ltd operates tourist facilities there and the land is owned by Abdullah… This library helps strengthen the relationship between community development, ecotourism and conservation, and is a partnership between BOTW and Kabarole Tours & Safari Ltd. The new library in Kitumba is at Peter Ahabyona’s place (BOTW manager on the ground) near Fort Portal town. Now that Victor has ‘been there and seen it’, he is even more enthusiastic about BOTW and he is going to stay involved as a member of our board.
- Uganda Trip Report - May 2010
View Photos from Trip
Dear BOTW supporters,In March I had the opportunity to check on the BOTW libraries and girls on scholarships in Uganda in person. It was also my first time to meet our manager in Uganda, Peter Ahabyona. I came to know him as a very good man who is really resourceful and dedicated to BOTW. As usual it was my research on butterflies that brought me to Uganda, and I dedicated a few days to the libraries while students visited me at the field station.
On a Saturday afternoon, I visited Kigarama library where children were reading books together, supervised by the librarian, Rose. They were eager to read for me. I handed out some balloons and made bubbles. Before I left, they sang some songs for me. After some songs in English I asked for a Rutooro song, because these are usually the best, and they spontaneously started singing. Rose explained that it was a song about avoiding HIV. After that I went to Kanyawara library where few children had gathered to read and draw. Usually, many come when there is a visitor, but this day there were two funerals in the community so the group was small. I read a book and we did animal sounds.
On a Friday I met with all the librarians and Peter in Ruteete Library. This was the first time they were all together since 2007, when Gosia and I had organized the good-bye dinner at the field station. There was lots of catching-up and we listened to each others reports and discussed various issues. We made a plan for exchanging books among the libraries to offer readers fresh choices. Allen talked about how Nkingo library needed to move to a new building because the current room is next to a pub for alcoholics (this library has now moved). I also brought a computer for Ruteete library that was donated to BOTW by Tessa Knox in Davis. The Ruteete librarian, Harriet, is now learning more about computers so that she can continue using it for library records and especially to make it available for people to learn computer skills. This may also be synergistic with the computer project at the nearby Kasiisi Primary School.
Some students visited me, including Daphine, Beatrice and her brother Eric, and Robinah. I hadn’t met Robinah before. She explained how she is an orphan and that her father had left her a piece of land with a house (traditionally women do not inherit anything) but that here aunt had sold it while she was in boarding school (she found it sold when she came back for a holiday). With no family support, she can’t manage to study in a day-school without some extra money for rent, food, and exercise books. She now studies at Kigarama Talents and rents a room for $5000 UShs (<$3) per month. She is very determined to get an education!
This was a short visit and I couldn’t do much. However, in June our Florida volunteer Victor Lawrence will be in Uganda. He is a librarian who will transfer skills to our librarians. He will also help open a new library in Kasenda. This village is to the south, in the beautiful crater-lake area. Tour-operator Richard Tooro is running a tourism facility there with accommodation, food, lake-beach, and a forest walk (lots of monkeys, butterflies and birds). I stayed there one night with my field assistants, it was very nice! By using the forest in this way it has a chance to survive. He also wants to develop the community by opening a library and I promised know-how and books (still stored in Ibura) while he will take care of room, furniture and librarian. Your continued support is desperately needed to keep these programs running.Look out for the report from Victor and warm wishes,
Freerk -
Winter 2009 Newsletter
This year there were many changes in the lives of BOTW volunteers. Gosia and Freerk moved from Davis, California to Tartu in Estonia. One good thing about this move is that they can continue their research and Freerk will be in Uganda for a month early next year, thus providing an opportunity work with the libraries on the ground.
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August 2009 – Sarah Paige, BOTW manager in Uganda has finished her project in Kibale and leaves Uganda. We are extremely grateful for her wonderful and dedicated (and voluntary) work for the foundation for a whole year! Thank you very much Sarah!
From now on BOTW has a new manager in Uganda, Peter Ahabyona. Sarah trained him work with us.
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July 2009 – Kigarama Community Library (2 rooms) was moved to new location due to increased fees for renting the space.
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February and July 2009 – our Ugandan committee chairman, Bonny Balengyara and BOTW manager, Sarah Paige participate in Kibale Forest Environmental Education Steering Committee meeting in Kibale. The goal of the meetings was to establish collaboration between different organisations working around Kibale National Park to raise academic standards and to improve conservation education in schools around the National Park.
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February 2009 – A new school year started in Uganda. This year BOTW sponsor education of 14 girls in secondary and high schools around Kibale. All girls come from poor families that were unable to pay school fees and most of them are also orphans. BOTW keeps contact with schools where the students are and regularly receives letters about their performance.
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September 2008 – Sarah Paige became BOTW manager in Uganda. Sarah is a Ph.D. student from US and her research in Kibale is focused on health issues around the National Park.
- Autumn 2008 – BOTW opened second, reading rooms in Kigarama and Ruteete Community Libraries.’
- June-August 2008 - UC Davis graduate student, Melissa Whitaker, worked voluntarily with BOTW in Uganda. Melissa sorted books to add to existing libraries and prepared sets for new libraries, visited Community Libraries, Adult Literacy Classes, met teachers from the Tutor Program, the girls that are on BOTW secondary school scholarships, and the headmistress of Kigarama Talents School. She came back completely enthused and wishing she could go back and work more with the libraries. A detailed report will be posted soon.
- July 2008 - BOTW received a grant from the Nando Peretti Foundation for opening new libraries around Kibale National Park.
- On April 8th, 2008, BOTW was a part of 18th Annual Soaring to New Heights - a community event celebrating diversity, inclusiveness and equity for all at UC Davis.
- February 2008: Chapman/McGill University donation; Kasiisi Project donation
- January 2008: Spirit of Uganda Performance; Uganda Committee Update; Busy Libraries; Literacy Exam
- Books Open the World is now a Registered Non-Profit Charitable Organization in the US
- ctober 2007: Cracow, Poland donation drive; FNI donation
- September 2007: More books in Uganda; School resumes for scholarship girls
- August 2007: Boxes of books begin arriving in Uganda
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"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
- published in Dateline, UC Davis
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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
- Gosia and Freerk organized meetings with the Foundation Committee and pre-school before they left Uganda.
- Bonny Balyganira, Clovice Kaganzi and Francis Karwani are supervising the work of the libraries, adult literacy classes and remedial teaching. Innocent Rwego agreed to supervise pre-school and the girls' secondary education taking care of that part of the accounting. Thank you for their work!
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
- The book drive in Gainesville, FL ended in mid-May, where we netted 700 pounds of books and enough donations to send the books. An especially large donation was made by Gainesville Book Company, where we received 15 boxes of books. Thanks to Wild Iris Books, the University of Florida’s Department of Geography and Center for African Studies, and all who participated and supported our efforts!
- Adult Literacy classes start in Ruteete, at Mituuli PS. Although the beginning was slow, a month later there are 46 students at Rutooro classes and 18 at English classes. The teacher Robert Abwooki is terrific!
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
- 72 boxes with books sent from Davis (CA). Gosia and Freerk organized a book-drive in co-operation with Davis Food CO-OP and UC Davis Women Center. The funds to send the books to Uganda came mainly from: UC Davis Office of Campus Community Relations, UC Davis Women Center and many private donations. Thank you for everybody!
- First 3 girls go to secondary school in Fort Portal, as part of Kibale Girls Project, sponsored by the Nando Peretti grant.
January 2007: First Adult Literacy Classes begin
- First Adult Literacy Classes start in Kigarama and Nkingo Libraries