Research becomes possible
CBC sets inquiry and project work as a matter of course. Without reference books, atlases or biographies, "go and find out" has nowhere to lead.
The goal
10 school libraries in Makueni County
Surina and Keisha did not set out to run one project. They set out to build a network — a cluster of neighbouring rural schools where reading becomes part of ordinary life, so that no library stands alone.
1 of 10 libraries open
10%
Every child should have the opportunity to read beyond the classroom, discover new ideas, and imagine possibilities beyond their immediate surroundings.See the schools
Why a library changes things
Many learners at the schools we work with come from families where buying children's books is out of reach. Government funding understandably concentrates on curriculum textbooks, which leaves children with almost nothing to read for pleasure — no fiction, no biographies, no wildlife, no science beyond the syllabus.
One school we are working with now has around 50 storybooks for 453 children, and they only suit Grades 1 to 3. For a child with no books at home, walking into a library, choosing a book because it looks interesting, and taking it home is a genuinely new experience.
