By Kate Carroll
Having just celebrated America’s
Independence Day, I pondered all the freedoms we enjoy in this country. Many of
the obvious come to mind, but in
particular, I’m thankful for the volumes of books that were available to me
throughout my childhood - in school libraries, public libraries, home libraries
and bookstores. I have glorious memories of laying on a lounge chair, reading
stacks of books in the warm breezes of CT summers.
But I know, first hand, that not all children
have the freedom of reading or owning books. Our daughter, Hope, came to us
three years ago from Rwanda as a high school senior and had never read a book
for fun. She attended excellent schools, by Rwandan standards, but rarely had a
textbook!
In a country like Rwanda, children
don’t have the luxury of reading books, visiting libraries, or owning books. The
literacy rate is climbing there, but the amount of available reading material is
minimal. Rwanda’s adult literacy rate is around 70%, but that is not reflective
of the situation in more rural areas of the country. Education is highly
valued, but there is little access. Other African countries have alarmingly low
statistics. For example, the countries
of Mali and Niger have literacy rates of 33% and 19% respectively, according to
the UNESCO Institute of Statistics. Most developing countries face the
challenges of expanding education but not having the tools to advance the cause.
Initiatives addressing the lack of
literacy through grants and charitable organizations is on the rise. The USAID
organization suggests, “Literacy is considered a linchpin in
Rwanda's ascendance as a major player in communications and technology on the
African continent.” In Rwanda, pilot
programs exist to increase the use of books in primary grades. They even teach
teachers how to read stories aloud to increase interest among students. Through
a local publishing company, actual picture books created by local authors exist
in some elementary schools, giving kids stories that pique their interest. Reading
is a key to unlocking amazing opportunities in countries like Rwanda.
Many African countries endeavor to
join in the technology age. The emergence of e-books appeals to these
impoverished nations and provides easier access to the written word than a
physical paper book. It may be that digital reading in some places in Africa
will jump over conventional book reading and the paper book will barely exist
in their learning culture. Without the tradition of curling up with Mommy or
Daddy and reading one’s favorite stories, it’s very possible that populations
and cultures will never have that chance.
I believe that the
sky’s the limit for joining in the race to advance reading ability in Africa.
Check out the foundations below to see how you might help. Or see how your
local school districts may take on an initiative to share a book with African
students.
On a personal note, Hope caught the
reading bug last summer. Here’s a “shout out” to Nicola Yoon for her captivating
debut YA novel, Everything, Everything. Her work marked the beginning of a love
relationship with reading for a girl from Africa.
***
Resources
Friends of Rwandan Education (FRE) is a new non-profit whose goal is to
assist Rwanda in achieving their educational goals through cultural
collaborations, advocacy and fundraising.The current goal is to build a
new secondary school for 800 students.
