May n blogging around wid elephants!!

Hellooo!
Well, still in Sipili in Laikipia west... had eli's through a few nights ago... well only about 10metres from my bedroom!!!
Library looks great!!! Still crap library committee, who are STILL trying to use it for advancement- either financially or for social status. They were supposed to have a meeting 3 weeks ago to sort out their committee.... still no meeting still no committee... and we open in 3 weeks!!!! ARGHHHH!!!! Have to hope SOMEONE wants to benefit their community rather than only themselves!!


























childrens lib May 08


childrens information area May 08


Ho hum!!

Was in Nairobi (no elephants) last weekend for KT birthday. Did a lot of work type stuff too! Trying to find someone who will donate exterior paint, so we can paint a mural on the wall of Sipili library... ANY IDEAS???

Had a meeting in GILGIL on the way back, and looks like there may be a donor there willing to build a library! Will keep u posted!! (Saw an eagle owl... HUGE big beasty sitting in a tree in a wood as we had our meeting!)

Sipili getting even greener as maize, potatos etc really growing fast. I s thundering now, and rain hammering on my mubati roof (corrugated iron) till I cant hear at all!! The light outside is awsome tho! Silver...No walk for Kimbe and I this evening tho!

Talk soon!!

Anne



Still trying to find a means of staying here to make libraries for ever... or at least the next few years to start!! I have 3 weeks until I have to return to UK to try to find donors.
Maile Saba centre now has their books, and Joshe from MYSA is doing his best to organise them. I hope to get down to see the libu on 27th May and at least offer some advice before leaving. I should be there twice a week at this stage.. or by the time Sipili opens.

As promised!!! Photos of Laikipia Community library with carpet down!!

.....This is the adults library

We need to buy some carpet tape to seal joins etc. We didnt QUITE have enough carpet, so the adults library still has a delightful concrete floor near the ref section and National Geographic. Countries sections.



This is the children's Library. Children immediately started lying on the carpet and getting comfortable!!











This is the children's storybooks/ fiction section. We do hope to find some more money to get some notice boards made, so we can display children's work on the walls.








There is still a lot of work to do in th eadults library... cataloguing the fiction catagories :- Romances are complete, just Thrillers, Horror, Science Fiction/ Fantasy, Westerns, and General fiction left to do!! Also all of the Non Fiction... IT WILL BE DONE by 7th June!!!

Tlak next week!!!


Anne

Anne living in Sipili, Laikipia West making libs!!

Hello and happy new year!!

Well, a less safe Kenya than it was. Alll of our libraries/ centres survived the violence. Our staff did not fair quite so well. Stephan and Charles in Mathare North centre both lost everything, their houses being burnt down and all their worldly goods destroyed.

is now

We are still hoping for a peaceful solution to all of the problems here. God willing the wonderful Kenyan people will see sense, and realise that they are all Kenyans.Charles and Stephan despite everything both were going into the Mathare valley talking peace to community members. Things in Mathare are now quiet, although rents have increased. Charles is still living in the library, but Stephan, -thanks to a donation from a very kind Janie Ellerby - enabled him to pay rent for 6 months in a safer place,

NEW CENTRE IN KAWANGWARE, NAIROBI!!

During all of this KidsLIbs Trust managed to open a new centre, in Kawangware slum area in Nairobi!!! Over 200 children came, and their parents - from every tribal origin-. They all danced and sang together... it was a joy to see and watch! It just goes to show that our centres encourage tolerance and reconciliation!

This was inspirational!!

The next library is Sipili in Laikipia West.

The books were transported to Laikipia (Sipili), and work started in October. Anne was visiting every two weeks as funds allowed.. I Work had to stop for several months though during the post election violence experienced all over Kenya.

Well, since end of Feb I have been living in Laikipia! It is the best- and cheapest!- way of getting the library here open before hell freezes over!! I was battling with an inert library committee, and staff who are only there for the money!

Not now! I have got rid of the two money minded staff, leaving me with two guys who are working really well - and for the right reasons!! Geoffry and Joseph are wonderful! We have very nearly finished the childrens's library- by wed of next week it should be done!! -. and are already making headway with the adults library!

We will open on June7th

Well, I have found 2 guys to do drama (kids and adults) - both now working on something for the opening... did I say that was on JUNE 7TH???? and John who wants to run art classes! All for free of course! See?? Good people exist everywhere!!


The fundi ( carpenter!) completed the 6 new shelf units this week, and they are now in their new positions in the library... and it looks GREAT!!!! The adults library particularly looks like the business!!! Am taking photos tomorrow as...

we put the carpet down tomorrow!! Carpet donated by East African Womens League (EAWLS). Bakewell Rotary Club, UK. paid for it to be transported from Nairobi to Sipili. They also paid for the new shelving AS WELL as paying for my rent, food fuel etc to be here in Laikipia making the library!!

thank you Bakewell Rotary Club, UK!!!

ALSO LDS Churches have donated KidsLibs Trust centres 6 brand sparkelling new wheelchairs for use by library users in Laikipia (2), Githurai (2) Eastleigh(1) and one for our next centre. The idea being that wheelchair bound users come to the centres in their own chairs, then move to our indoor chairs to use the centres!

Talk tomorrow!!!

KidsLibs Trust update and updated!!!

Well,

KidsLibs Trust is now registered!!

We also now have a bank account, so we can receive donations of money!!!!

The books from Canada have arrived, and 4 of the 6 tonnes will be travelling up to Laikipia this week.. YEAY!!! HOWEVER I need money to pay for my fuel, accommodation etc HELP!!!

The library/ information centre in Gilgil has raised its head again, so that will be our second rural centre!!!

By the way KidsLibs Trust Trustees are: Sheila Mmbijjewe (chair), Wamaitha Mungai (Treasurer), me (secretary), Jill Simposn, Smita Pandit, and Phyllis Ikua

I also need money to pay for the lawyer who organised the Trust....

This is really worthwhile! The centres we have had empowered so many people.. not just the children!!! Teachers from local schools have been coming to find out why members of our centres schoolwork has improved. Mothers have started their own groups to actively help thier kids, Drama groups, creative writing groups (Mathare North centre) ... So much!!


PLEASE HELP!!!

Through our centres we are letting communities become aware of choices in thier lives, to think now thoughts , t o have dreams and a way of achieving those dreams!!!!


Anne

ps the website has been updated to include two new pages.. the wishlist and Trustees pages! Take a look!!

Hello Mambo from Kenya!

Hello!

Greetings from a hot Kenya!

Just taking time to tell you about KidsLibs. Currently KidsLibs consists of me, Anne - a professional British children's librarian! I have been in Kenya for nearly 8 years, and have been creating community based libraries/ information centres since 2001... unpaid!!!

I create libraries with CBO's (Community Based Organisations) in the slum areas of Nairobi, and in rural areas, where there is little to no access to information. KidsLibs has helped t three centres open in slum areas of Nairobi, the oldest has been open for 5 years in November 2007! Each centre has a membership of over 3500!

KidsLibs does not only create them, but advises on buildings (rented or purpose built), finds stock (books, magazines, CD Roms etc) trains all staff in library skills, and keeps the Centres on the right path through monthly staff meetings (where staff from ALL centres come together to exchange ideas) and regular training sessions.

Community-based Information Centres are centres run by members of the community in which they are located, for members of those individual communities.
Currently all our centres are to be found in some of the poorest areas of Nairobi, Kenya. They are places where all people - regardless of age, wealth, ethnic origin, cultural background or ability can come to meet, and to have access to information, and materials to encourage growth of imagination.

We encourage informal education, rather than formal school learning. The children in these areas use the centres as safe place where they can come to meet their friends, study for school - when there is no space at home-, read for pleasure, or just to feel safe. To other community members the centres are a way to access information, use a computer, spread ideas, complement academic studies, or simply to relax with a good book!

Kidslibs Community Based Information Centres are free and open to all - readers and non readers alike. We hope to make many more centres to cater for the needs of all of our communities. The slum areas of Nairobi need many more · Mathare valley has 16 zones, only three of which have community libraries so far!

Kidslibs also hope to create information centres in the rural areas of Kenya where there is also a great need for access to information: in many places a newspaper is a rare sight. In some rural areas the centres can be seen as methods to impliment conflict resolution, as they can unite previously divided communities through a shared activity beneficial- and open - to all community members.

2007

I plan to create another 4 centres, including our first rural centre in Laikipia area of Kenya. We have funding for a new centre in Kawangware slum (in Nairobi), and also funding for another two within Mathare valley through the CBO (MYSA: Mathare Youth Sports Association) in Githurai and Maile Saba - I have books currently in the country for Githurai and Kawangware. Books for Maile Saba and Laikipia are in Canada currently (6 tonnes!!) waiting to us to work out some way of getting them here:- A branch of Rotary club here may well be helping.(fingers crossed!)

WHAT KIDSLIBS NEEDS!!!

KidsLibs currently runs with no money at all. As this scheme has grown it is now becoming impossible to do all the things we can and should do! I am now desperate for donors to both help the CBO's fund refurbishing buildings, etc but more importantly to fund The KidsLibs project itself.

Costs for this will include money to pay me to do the job I need to do independently (including paying for a work permit!), will pay for a vehicle to transport myself and stock to all centres, whether here in Nairobi or in rural areas, will enable trainers to be paid, will pay for staff to come to our monthly meetings, will pay for laminating, printer paper etc etc. It can also assist in paying for the transportation of books from other countries to Kenya - this is NOT cheap!- where I cannot find a donor to assist. I have costings available!! (of course!)

Also am looking for a BIG donor to build a purpose built

library in Laikipia area...I have architects plans all ready

and waiting! This is the piece of land we have waiting

for its building..

Look at the website or contact me! Please! ( http://cbl-kenya.tripod.com) I would really love to hear for you, any ideas, suggestions ...donations!

If everyone helps in a small way, then big things can be done!

Cheers!!!

Anne