Photos have been removed from this issue because of a law in Kenya requiring strict documentation for photos and videos featuring school children.
Changing The World One Mind at a Time
Greetings! Here is the February, 2021 issue of the Libraries For Kids, Int'l monthly e-newsletter. Thanks for your interest and support. Kuwa salama na vzuri (Swahili for "be safe and well") Roy Austin, Founder/Chair
- EVERYTHING IS FIGUREOUTABLE
- Great book by Marie Foleo
- Announcement
- The first container arrived in Mombasa, Kenya a couple of days ago.
As soon as it clears Customs it will be transported to our warehouse in Kitui, Kenya. Once there the books will be unloaded, sorted, stamped, and repacked for delivery to the schools. I will send out a special announcement with pictures when the books arrive at the warehouse.
Two Questions
A. When you were in school did you have your own textbooks?
B. How would your education have been affected if you had to share a textbook with 20-30 other students?
Sharing textbooks with 20-30 other students is a common situation in rural schools in Kenya. Obviously, this hinders learning and discourages students. But you can help. We buy textbooks that correspond to the national Kenyan curriculum for schools. Please help us buy more textbooks by donating today
DONATE
$35/school
Please Donate $35
When the containers arrive it will cost about $35/school to deliver the books. More information below.
Each container will create libraries in 150 schools.
MARIOTHILEY PRIMARY SCHOOL
You may recall that this is the school that had no textbooks or teaching supplies. The headteacher, Nicholas Mboi painted pictures, numbers, letters, etc. on sheets of cloth to teach with. We bought them textbooks and supplies. Here is an email from Nicholas about the impact on his school and students.
From: Sent: Sunday, February 7, 2021 3:46 AM To: books@libraries4kids.org Subject: Re: On The Water
Hi sir how are you doing sir, we are fine on our side, your support has had a tremendous boost on our enrollment even some have resulted to learn during the night time then during the day they go to look after their livestocks since they are pastoralists community, thanks a lot, nice time
NEXT CHALLENGE - Distributing Books to Schools The first container is due to arrive on February 20, 2021. When it arrives at our storage location in Kitui, Kenya it will be unpacked, books will be stamped, repacked for shipment to the schools, and then delivered to the schools mostly by motorcycle.
Due to the terrain and road conditions, books will be delivered by motorcycle with 3 boxes of books stacked on the back.
$35 per school
It will cost about $35 per school to deliver the books.
This means renting motorcycles and hiring drivers. Where possible, drivers will be parents of students in that school to insure the books will be delivered.
Each container will supply 150 schools.
HELP: Please donate so we can get the books to the schools once they arrive in Kenya. Please contribute $35 to get books to a school.
We've come so far and cleared so many hurdles. Please help us clear this next hurdle and get the books delivered to the schools.
"We make a living by what we get,
but we make a life by what we give."
Winston Churchill
SCHOOL OF THE MONTH
Nguli-AIC Charity Secondary School Charity Kalolo was excited to get the books we shipped and the textbooks we bought for them. Hello Roy, we received the books and we're much greatful, God bless you and your team.
Attached are the photos of the students with the books.
Charity Kalolo Headteacher Ngilu Secondary School
Please, spread the word by forwarding this email to your friends and contacts or posting excerpts from this newsletter or our website (copy/paste) on your social media accounts.
Together we can make a huge difference in the lives of thousands of children.
Lavington Jioni Rotary Club
We are excited to report that we have partnered with the Lavington Jioni Rotary Club in Nairobi, Kenya. They will be assisting us with delivering the container books to schools.
https://www.facebook.com/rotarycluboflavingtonjioni/
SMILE.AMAZON
Your purchases from Amazon can help Libraries For Kids, Int'l. Smile.Amazon will donate a small percentage of your purcase to us. This is a donation from Amazon and costs you nothing. Here's how: 1. Visit smile.amazon.com and create an account 2. When purchasing from Amazon, sign into smile.amazon.com 3. When asked, Choose Libraries for Kids Intl
What does your donation accomplish?
Libraries For Kids, Int'l offers not a hand out, but a hand up. Parents in rural Kenya pay tuition for their children to go to school. It is huge a sacrifice when your income is derived from a subsistence farm or your herd of sheep, goats, or cattle. But it is a testament to their hunger for knowledge.
The Kenyan government gives each rural school $5.50 per student per year. For a school with a student population of 100 that is $550.00 per year to pay for the schools expenses (teacher salaries, textbooks, supplies, etc.) As a result, textbooks and libraries are lacking.
How can people lift themselves up and solve their problems without knowledge?
Your donations are helping children in Kenya, and hopefully beyond someday, to help themselves.
I hope you will consider Libraries For Kids, Int'l.
Media Attention
Please share these stories with your friends and on your social media platforms. Thanks
For more news about Libraries For Kids, Int'l visit our website
NEWS - Community Based Organization
Libraries For Kids, Int'l is a registered Community Based Organization in Kenya. We have applied to be a registered charity in
Kenya. These steps will enable us to expand operations in Kenya and operate more efficiently.
SPEAKING
We love telling the Libraries For Kids, Int'l story. If your organization needs a speaker please contact us at books@libraries4kids.org or phone us at 843-597-4826. Whether in person or via Zoom, we look forward to sharing our story.
Donor Honor Roll
Our Donor Honor Roll is based on cumulative contributions. No matter what level you are on, you are important. But your continuing support is also vital. We hope you will continue to contribute and gradually move to a higher level on the honor roll. A little each month and you will soon be at the next level.
There are a lot of new names on the honor roll this month and several people who have moved up to the next level.
Click Here to see the full donor Honor Roll
Here are the different honor roll levels and who is on each level. The Swahili word is in parenthesis.
Meerkat (Meerkat)
Donated
books and/or money.
So far there are 115 Meerkats. Click here [to see them all. Some of](/about/honor-roll/) you are close to the Zebra level so please consider an additional donation.
Zebra (Punda Milia) - $100 or more
To date there are 59 Zebras. Click here to see them all
Impala (Pala) - $500 or more
Delores Ackerman Kirk Fox Jim & Karen Ralston Gary Shepard Ty Geisemann Rick & Cindy Jacobs Susan Kreick
Giraffe (Twiga) - $1,000 or more
Den & Jan Austin Charleston CFO Council Mickaylla McDonald JR & Betty Rutherford Janice Allinder-Anestes Ty & Suzanne Giesemann
Oryx (Choroa)- $2,500 or more
Marilyn Moore
Rhinoceros (Kifaru): $5,000 or more
Sable Antelope (Mfano Mzuri): $7,500 or more
Cheetah (Duma): $10,000 or more
Rick & Becky Harris
Leopard (Chui) - $25,000 or more
Dr. David Stallings
Lion (Simba) - $50,000 or more
Roy & Sharron Austin
Elephant (Tembo) - $100,000 or more
Maasai Club - $250,000 or more
The Maasai are among the foremost African ethnic groups and are known internationally because of their links to the national parks and reserves. They respect the land and are adapting to the changing world around them.
Sharron Austin Society - $500,000 or more
Sharron was an inspiration to Libraries For Kids, Int’l Founder Roy Austin. Her life philosophy was “Life is not the way it is supposed to be. It is the way it is. How you cope with it is what makes the difference.” Her smile, positive attitude, and ability to overcome numerous challenges in her life are an inspiration to all. She died on March 29, 2020. She is sorely missed but her spirit lives on. She was an enthusiastic supporter and donor to Libraries For Kids, Int’l.
MEET OUR PARTNERS
We are blessed to have several partners who have donated their time and services. Paul Soviero, Owner, Next Move HHI is helped us find bookcases for our storage location. http://www.nexmovehhi.com/index.php
James Worix, owner of Worix Media is helping us with IT and media editing services.
Paul Uhls BNC Graphics 19 Seventh Ave, Bluffton, South Carolina 29910 https://bncgraphics.com/
Supplied business cards and rack cards
Dan Russin Store Manager Morningstar Storage 1110 Fording Island Rd Bluffton, SC 29910
Donated a 10ft x 10ft space for us to store books.
Allison Debs Lewis Territory Account Manager Staples Advantage www.staplesadvantage.com
Staples has donated shipping boxes.
Alan Flowers and Roman Surroundings are helping us spread the word about Libraries For Kids, Int'l. 70 Pennington Dr. Studio 16D Bluffton, SC 29910 The Stations call-in # 843-800-1492; Office # 843-
505-8513 https://www.talkoneradio.com/
