Lets Learn Community Libraries Project

Involved alumni:

The challenge that the project addresses

The Let’s Learn Communities Library Project aims to tackle the problem of unequal access to quality education by providing library services to primary and high school children in a peri-urban rural communities in which is 40-50 km from Harare.

What is your project doing to respond to this challenge?

Since 2018, I have been running two community libraries in the communities of Domboshava, Charlotte Brooke and Crowhill. We have run regular book and laptop drives which has led to us having 600 books and 5 laptops that are used by children in the libraries. We have also partnered with ZimLibrary which has a stock of 4 000 books which we can borrow on a regular basis to then share in our communities.

Describe the project's impact

Firstly, we have provided children library services that prior to or initiative had never experienced the how library works. We have so far been able to impact at least 1 000 children. Secondly, during the Covid-19 pandemic, because schools were closed, our libraries became the only spaces children could come to and get books to read back at home. Thirdly, we have also inspired youth to be volunteers in these libraries by supporting our book and laptop drives and being librarians. We also work with communities by supporting small schools by providing access to our books.

How will you spend the R20,000 award if you win?

The plan with the R20 000 is to purchase an off-road motorcycle which costs R15 000 to R18 000. The balance will then go to purchasing a small solar panel which will then be used to charge our laptops when we move from community to community.

What do you hope to achieve?

  1. By having a motorcycle, we will be able to launch regular mobile library drives in the three communities we already work in.
  2. By having a motorcycle, we will be able to launch mobile library drives in villages close to the communities we work in such as Chabwino, Nyamande and Munhenga.
  3. To install a solar charging port which will be used to charge laptops on our mobile library work.
  4. To make it easier to transport and change books between our different community libraries.