When I arrived in Omahila, the school’s “library” was no more than few hundred books packed away in boxes. Since then, I’ve worked with the school’s teachers and principal to transform the library into a functioning entity. With the help of book and financial donations from my parents and St. John the Baptist School, the number of books in the library has grown to over 1,000.
The students’ enthusiasm for reading is overwhelming. There is usually a long line of students waiting to get in and choose a new book. The benefits of reading are obvious: increased vocabulary, expanded worldview, and improved reading comprehension, just to name a few. In addition to these benefits, the students of Omahila have learned how a library is organized, how to care for books and how to use reference materials.
The next step for the library is expansion. Currently, the library is in a room that houses the principal's office, the secretary, the school computer and copier, the meeting, cleaning and cooking supplies and big bags of maize meal. In the future, the school would like to build a room devoted solely to the library.
For the meantime, however, we will continue to improve the library in its existing location. The library is open after school three days a week, supervised by Mr. Nashidengo and me. There are also nine dedicated learners that work as library monitors on rotating days. The library monitors are responsible for reshelving books, distributing the five library passes, assisting younger children in the library and making sure that the books are neat orderly.
For the meantime, however, we will continue to improve the library in its existing location. The library is open after school three days a week, supervised by Mr. Nashidengo and me. There are also nine dedicated learners that work as library monitors on rotating days. The library monitors are responsible for reshelving books, distributing the five library passes, assisting younger children in the library and making sure that the books are neat orderly.
Onesmus looks for a book to check out.
The library shares space with maize meal bags and a number of other people and activities.
Kids waiting in line to enter the library, 5 at a time.
Kids reading at the meeting table.
Apollonia and Ndapewa taping call numbers on books.
Look how many books we have NOW!
