Photos have been removed from this issue because of a law in Kenya requiring strict documentation for photos and videos featuring school children.
We have a terrific opportunity to ship more books. We've applied for a grant to subsidize the cost of 5 more containers AND, a donor has given us the remaining $25,000. We've been told it is a virtual certainty that the grant request will be approved. But, there's always a but isn't there? (;>) The grant and the donation will cover the cost of shipping the containers to Kenya but once the containers arrive it will cost about $30,000 to deliver all those books to rural schools. A container holds about 40,000 books so 5 containers would be 200,000 books. So, we need your help.
We learned from our school visits in June that the children are hungry to learn and that the books we send are helping to improve literacy and establish a reading culture. At Sowene Primary School, when the school day ends, kids make a mad dash for the library because seating is limited, so first come first served.
SHARING TEXTBOOKS IN RURAL KENYA When you were in school did you have your own textbook? In rural Kenya, 20 to 30 students have to share one textbook. Imagine sharing your math, English, science, Swahili, or social studies book with 30 other students. How would your education have been affected if you had to share your textbook and had no library resources or recreational reading? Why do they have to share textbooks? Because government support of rural schools is only $5.50 per student per year to cover textbooks, supplies, building maintenance, and support staff. Parents pay fees but not nearly enough to cover everything so textbooks are kept for years and years and reused and shared. Look closely at the condition of these books.
