Elgon Centre for Education Community Library Initiative (Abdulkarim Taraja) - Kenya

Project Goal: $24,000

Current Progress: $1,100 (5.00%)

Jiamini Community Library Initiative, Kenya

Did you know that 8 out 100 KCPE Candidates (Grade 8) cannot successfully do a grade 3 work in Kenya, while on average, 30 out of 100 can do a grade 2 work- of ages between 6-16- according to the statistics by the Uwezo Kenya in 2016? The outcome has remained largely unchanged if data on literacy rates done by UNESCO is anything to go by in 2022. Further, out of 11,000 High Schools in Kenya, 5000 cannot send any student to University as a result of poor performance, poor reading and comprehension due to lack of reading and other literary materials.

Elgon Centre for Education (ECE) is a registered not-for-profit organization that promotes access to education and reproductive health in marginalized areas in Western Kenya. Having carried out academic mentorship in over 150 schools, the data by Uwezo is reliable. Academic performance is wanting and many learners fail to perform not because they are incapable but lack of access to literacy materials such as story books, functional writing and comprehension. Schools infrastructure are wanting and vulnerable poor parents are major reasons for failure to comprehend and do well in education.

In Kenya, since 2003, the government has been financing free primary education (FPE) with support from other development partners. However, due to the poverty index and massive need for funding education, the government funding is never enough to support many vulnerable children. Every learner, according to government funding, is captured through capitation. Many leaners are not properly legally identified, which affects the capitation going to schools for infrastructural development. Parents are then forced to raise the deficits which it makes it expensive to invest in books and other basic needs.

ECE has secured a 40ft Container full of books from the Books For Africa (BFA) and few computers in the United States of America that seeks to establish the first of its kind Community Library in Mt. Elgon region, one of the marginalized communities, which has high cases of adult illiteracy, poverty, high teenage pregnancies, Gender-based violence and conflicts over land has led to massive school dropouts. The essence of this library is to promote literacy skills among the children, youth and adults and contribute to access to quality education (Goal 4).

With our incapacity, shipping of the container from the USA to the community including necessary clearances at the port of Mombasa requires us to raise up to $32,000. Once the books arrive, ECE and other local stakeholders will establish a physical library and develop a mobile Library program to take books to remote areas for literary and reading sessions with learners and nurture the culture of reading.

In order for us to achieve this noble project, we are calling for your support to help us fundraise this amount to help BFA ship the books to Mt. Elgon to promote access to literacy and quality education. BFA and ECE will accordingly account for any dollar donated and share with your all the progress of the Community Library.

With your contribution, you make it possible for a vulnerable child in the interior part of Mt. Elgon not just to read a book, but also gain knowledge through literary work.

May God bless you.

Jiamini.Jitume.Jielimishe

Contact: Abdulkarim Taraja, tarajaruto@gmail.com