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AND... We have received funding from the Marion Esling Legacy, Holy Trinity & St Peters Church Wimbledon towards the Little Hands Big Steps project, to the tune of £5000!!! This is AWESOME!!! MANY MANY THANKS!!
Anne and Patrick will start working on this early in the new year to get the books organised, get a group together to have a marvellously mucky time doing hand prints with 3 year olds from our libraries- this is how we decorate the LHBS bookbags!-, then distrubute to all KLT centres. WONDERFUL! Have been dying to do this since we launched the first LHBS in June!
Hope is restored!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
Well guys, I need to lose weight NOW never mind after Christmas! SOO I have entered KidslLibs Trust as a charity entrant in theEdinburgh Half marathon (13. something miles)! Anyone interested in running with me? I start training in New Year... I have paid for 5 places, and other ones will have to pay for themselves.. SORRY! Want to try to get T shirts with our logo on (our wee Bibliosaur) and run wearing big round specs like he has, plus carry a book (like he does!). Already have a specs shop trying to locate the glasses frames for us!!This is a great way both to get fit AND to raise money for KLT.. I am planning on approaching public libraries here to see if they will put up a display and put out sponsor forms or collection boxes..ANY more ideas welcome!!!
The space in question is here:
YEAY!! Safaricom Foundation have agreed to give us the money to build our new library in Sipili! Patrick is collecting first installment today (17th Dec), so we should be able to start construction early in New Year! Patrick will be supervising the construction.ALSO Maili Saba now has its carpet and is open to the public- at last!!! They still - from what I can pick up- have no catalogue drawers, and still need to replace kinderboxes and children's shelving, but we hope MYSA will find these things in the very near future. The community of Maili Saba have waited SOOO long! WELL DONE Kennedy and Simon!
Githurai is making progress under the direction of Douglas (who was trained at Maili Saba).They are processing their books currently. Douglas also helped out with...
BookAid International book delivery! These books arrived when Anne was in Kenya. They have now been sorted by Patrick, with the help of Steve and Charles from Mathare North MYSA centre, and of Douglas from Githurai MYSA centre. Patrick has delevered these books to all MYSA centres so far, and will get to Sipili we hope before Christmas. He is checking on the situation at Kawangware library before taking the books there.
We are still hoping for good news re a donor to build our centre in Murang'a district...
I am SO relieved that KLT and the libraries are continuing- even though I am not there. What a relief! I am looking for donors, but may have to get a full time job, save like mad, and get back to Kenya under my own power.
We received money during the November campaign, and this will in part help Patrick visit the libraries etc and deliver stock (fuel costs etc).
We have several proposals in to help us create more Little Hands Big Steps bag sets, so we can run the project from every KLT centre, and also for girlchild 'Super Angels' groups. Hope to get some positive news soon.
That's it for now! Talk soon! Any ideas of funds gratefully received! There is so much more we can do!
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!
Help Anne to get back to Kenya to get more libraries open, and to develop exisiting ones in good positive ways.. and to spread the word about books.
HI All!
Anne now back in Scotland working socks off on more proposals! SOMEONE has to sponsor us!! Getting donations from friends and wellwishers in USA through the efforts of Susan's online fundraiser...$600 so far.. THANK YOU!!!!! Good trip to Kenya:- Visited libraries, had libraries meeting, took BookAid International's Lesley, and Jana from Aggreko to see our proposed library in Murang'a district..Went via KNLS(Kenya National Library Service) library in Thika... an eye opener I can tell you! Had 'tea' with a whole lot of powerful people (from USA Ambassador, to Prime ministers wife-!!!-) at Manu Chandaria's house.. cant for the life of me work out why I was invited, but I collected business cards, and have E mailed 'em all!!! Left more money for car repairs (sigh!), and are several steps nearer to securing funding from Safaricom Foundation for our new building for our library in Sipili!!!
OOO YES! Our books form Bookaid also arrived while I was there! Patrick collected them yesterday and they are now at our office waiting to be sorted into individual library's stock, then taken to each library.
ALSO met up with Little Hands Big Steps Mums at Mathare North. WOW! They want more!! So pleased! This idea is working and expanding! They feel wanted and important through the programme, and dont want this to end. They actually wrote me two letters, which I will put into this months Bibliosaur magazine.. if you want a copy E mail me!!
Now back in Scotland... Gonna see my Mum n Charlotte (my eldest) tho soon!! Yeay!
November 15th 2009
Sitting at Java coffee house in Sarit Centre as if I had never been away! Been here for nearly a week now... and have I been busy!
Had a libraries meeting with staff from all centres, and caught up with what has - and hasnt!- been happening.
Visited Kawangware library, and sorted out what has been going on there... a bit of "while the cat is away the mice will play"...Think have got Isobella back working there too, which is great. Have re inforced KLT concept and we all OK now!
Visited new MYSA Githurai library, and met all the staff. Douglas - who used to be at Mailie Saba- is now in charge there. The library has its shelving - which is APPALLING quality- and its stock, which we have started processing. Staff are now aware fo the reason for the library, and of what INFORMAL learning is. We actually have a lady here called Lillian... It would be good to see her stay! MYSA is giving all these volunteers lunch and transport money during their training.
We have decided to give the KLT office computer which we never use to Sipili library, so they can start a sustainability project. Susan Phillips has also promised to donate 2 printers and a second desk top computer for this. Patrick will help them find suitable premesis outside the library. They will offer printing, scanning facilities.
Also in regard to Sipili, Joseph who runs the library there has suffered greatly during the last year because of drought. We had previously purchased him a donkey with which he can make a small amount of omoney to sustain himself (remember, he is unpaid). During the drought the donkey died. Anne and Patrick will fund another donkey for him, as the rains have finally come, and he can put the donkey to work so he can buy food, and help his Dad who is sick.
Safaricom Foundation has agreed to fund building a new library for Sipili centre! Anne checked through all the documents on arriving in Kenya, and found some things included which were not needed, and some which WERE needed had been forgotten. We have signed documents, and submitted the required changes to Safaricom Foundation, and are hoping they will agree to these minimal changes.
At last! A permanent home for our Sipili library!!!
Maili Saba MYSA library is still not open due ot lack of fundning to complete the making of last pieces of shelving and the carpeting. Anne has sent off two proposals to two different organisations this week to get this library open.! It has beenr eady to open since February.. staff are trainind and the local commuity have been eagerly awaiting their new library. Thier hopes have been stunted by this delay. I would LOVE to see them open by Christmas. We are looking at about 68,000/- Kenyan Shillings.
Anne has also done a proposal to UNIASC, who gave us money earlier this year for books for our Little Hands, Big Steps project. This time we are asking for either money for Maili Saba, or money to purchase Africa Collection books for Sipili Centre
NEXT WEEK!
Anne is working with BookAid International, with some organisations who make libraries in the slums areas. Should be interesting!
We are also taking a prospective donor to visit our proposed library in Murang'a district. Fingers crossed!! We will be talking to community members etc about why they need a library etc, and looking at the existing building and proposed alterations.
During Anne's time in Scotland she set up a KidsLibs Trust group on Facebook! We have 30 members already!!!
Anne returns to Scotland on 21st, hoping n praying for miracle funding to get her back to Kenya for a period of at least a year (prefurabley for 5 years!) to complete and develop exisiting libraries, and to finish creating up to 4 others.
Anne is not the only one who has been busy!
Susan Phillips- our Trusty Trustee!- has been coordinating an on line fundraising and awareness campaign throughout November! These have been some fun letters to our online supporters asking them to send our details on to friends and familiy who may be interested. usan has also been updating the website and keeping it fun and interesting! ALSO she has been networking like mad, as well as keeping Patrick mobile thorugh providing funds for fuel etc needed to do his KLT work.
Patrick has been manning the fort while Anne has been away. He has liased with Safaricom Foundation about our wonderful Toyota Hilux, and also about the library in Sipili; he has collected many donations of stock, unpacked books at our office at Sara Lee's,etc etc etc. THANK YOU!!!!
Jane Ainslie in UK is busy still trying to set us up as a UK charity! This will help us so much, allowing us to apply for a greater range of funding, as well as allowing donors to claim their tax back.
Neil Jones our accountant has risen to the challenge, and has been producing KLT accounts for us which are needed to be submitted with many proposals.
OK! Talk again soon!!!
Well, after 8 weeks in Scotland applying for temporary jobs, Christmas jobs, library assistant one night a week jobs,
I have landed a job for 4 days which gets me home to Kenya!
I will be back on 9th November to visit all libraries and friends, then have work with BOOKAID INTERNATIONAL for four days, showing them the KLT libraries, taking a prospective donor to Muranga proposed centre, and helping to write a proposal!
CANT WAIT!
ALSO Sara Peterson in USA has re designed our KLT leaflet, and is raisingmoney to get some printed!! YEAY!! GO Sara!! She is also doing the sub titling of the dramas and raps performed by the kids in our libraries.
THERE ARE SOME GREAT PEOPLE OUT THERE who believe in us!
Marline Peterson her Mum is also trying to raise money for us, through putting articles in Libraries of Hope Magazine.
Patricia Little, a member of AFK who came to see Mathare North MYSA centre in August has also sent us some fuel money, also Donna Kranik donated some fuel money, so Patrick was able to collect books, visit libraries, sort books at Sara Lee etc. MANY THANKS!!! Every little helps!
Rosslyn Academy have again donated some books.
We are mid doing the paperwork for Coca Cola Africa too.. all fingers and toes crossed for 3 years of funding...! Many thanks to Susan Githuku for her help with Coke.
Githurai opened with no books, but Joshe tells me he has started training staff there.
Autumn here has been so beautiful! Now the wind is taking the brightly coloured leaves off the trees and blowing them into heaps.. which I am delighting in jumping in!!! My first autumn for 16 years...
Some sad 
sad sad news. Our Trustee and very dear friend Jill Simpson passed away on Wednesday last week, of a sudden and completely unexpected heart attack. We are devastated by her passing, but will keep in touch with Angus her husband.
Jill contributed in so many ways to KLT, particularly in her local knowledge and her enthusiasm and belief in what we are trying to accomplish with KLT libraries.
Patrick has been holding the fort, holding down his night job, and keeping KLT operational.. he is amazing! THANK YOU THANK YOU!!
KLT - well, Patrick!- also moved Little Hands Big Steps to Sipili library a few weeks ago! We hope this will work as well as it did in Mathare North! We also hope to get a report about their Super Angels girls group very soon... even get some photos!
Safaricom Foundation, not only have donated us a Toyota Hilux, but they are also funding the building of a new building for our Sipili library so we can move out of the two classrooms at Lariak Primary school! Patrick has been gathering up all the required documents they have asked for, and we may be under way in the New Year!
We should also mention the mechanic who has been helping us with repairs to the Safaricom vehicle for free. Such help from local businesses is rare and greatly appreciated. A BIG thank you form ALL KLT staff!
Think that is it! Wil write more after my trip to my Kenya and the libraries!
Is now dark here by 5pm.. the clocks went back on Saturday night... such short days...
Well, Anne still in Scotland, and Patrick holding the fort in Kenya!
Anne has written several proposals- formal and informal in style!- but no replies as yet! Sir Richard Branson has been approached too.
Hoping to give some talks to Lions clubs, Rotary Clubs, and Girl Guide groups, but no replies from them either.
Still hunting for a printer to produce our KLT leaflet, which has been re designed by Sara Peterson in USA!... best price so far is £90 for 250 leaflets... £90 too much!
Patrick has been sorting vehicle repairs, and getting the sticker for the hilux... NOT an easy task!
Pat has also been stamping and packing children's stock for Gacharageini Village, Njumbi Location, Mathioya Division in Muranga library, and talking to several new groups who are wanting libraries.
We are also talking to Rafiki Trust in Kisumu area re creating several libraries with them in the Kisumu area.
Anne's work permit is renewed! Yeay!
Githurai MYSA library was formally opened in September with their Dutch donor. The library still has no shelving or stock or staff, but these will come... Anne has to return to train staff and organise stock here!
We are also awaiting the arrival of a large donation of bookstock from BookAid International for all existing libraries.
We are also hoping for a positive response from Bookaid re a donor to build the rest of the library in Gacharageini Village, Njumbi Location, Mathioya Division in Muranga- another project that Anne has to be back to complete! VERY FRUSTRATING!!!
Praying for miracles now...
