GETTIN SOMEWHERE!!

Well, have been back a while now, and things moving along!!! Still waiting for the website to be up and active!! Should be soon now!!

Meanwhile...
Eastleigh has received their donation from Eastleigh UK, when Joshe and I went to choose Africa Collection materials (books written by African writers, or about Africa, or in African languages) a few weeks ago!! THANK YOU EASTLEIGH UK!!! Eastleigh Nairobi has also re organised all of thier rooms!!! It is SO much better.. much more space! ALSO MYSA opened their cyber cafe in their Eastleigh offices TODAY!!!! Not part of KidsLIbs library, but still a great initiative for the community!!

Kawangware: Well, we are trying to move building! The centre theere has proved SOOOO popular that we really need to move to bigger premises. Also the landlord has increased the rent.... We think we have found a room which may be donated using CDF funds (comunity development fund, controlled by local MP). Here's hoping!!! WFF and KLT are putting a proposal together, and hpe to be successful! We then will try to find a donor to purchase more shelving, carpeting etc.

UKENYA, Kayole. Still not signing on to KidsLIbs. Sad as they are losing out on so many benefits! theyt may yet change their minds!!!

Mathare North is ticking over well!! Still processing a lot of new stock!!!

Sipili, Laikipia West. I went ot visit them 2 weeks ago, and th ecentre still looks great!!! Joseph is blossoming!!! the school for the deaf (which ia next door to our centre) performed a drama for us... which has led to us needing to purchase a digital video camera to record such events to put onto our new website!!! The chairs for this centre are now safely in place, Still need to organise the library committee into a working group for the benefit of the community. John is also still coordinating the drama group! So much potential here!! Will return in October to talk to new head of Lariak Primary school, and to Joseph about class visits.

Maile Saba. Training is progressing here. I think we MAY be able to open in December all going well!!! New shelving is being constructed, as shelving that was made was of extremely poor quality.

Githurai, Well 3 years on Githurai is STILL not ready for stock!! The floor is still not completed, or the ceiling- it leaks-. Watch this space!!! MYSA has the stock for Githurai housed at Eastleigh currently.

KidsLibs Trust. Well, Sara Lee have given us an office! They are also suppplying all the furniture for us! Hpe this will be ready this week. Smita Pandit (chair of KLT Trust) has donated a desktop computer for th eoffice. Anne is trying to find a good printer and laminator this week to complete the office. If we find a good printer we may be able to print out new business cards- which are too expensive to get made (last ones were donated!) and even a leaflet about KLT!!!

Anne now has a salary set up, and is trying to organise accountants, audits etc both for the Trust and for her!!!

WISHLIST:

Digital Camcorder.
bikes for each centre to collect newspapers
Vehicle for KLT which is strong and durable
funding for new centres
funding to create Africa collections in all centres
funding to employ P.A for Anne (he is currently unpaid)
CURRENT information books!
method of transporting book donations form across the planet to our centres
a tractor for sustainability of Sipili centre in Laikipia West(adults AND kids!)

Talk soon!!!!

Anne

I'm Back!!!

Am back in Kenya!!!! HAVE A WONDERFUL DONOR who wish to remain anonymous, but who want us to have a better world... doesnt get much better than that!!!!

Have been back for a week, and now have a place to live!!

Have been to one libraries meeting already, had a meeting in Gilgil re new centre there (actually saw possible site to build the new centre!!). Have visited Eastleigh (todday) and was very impressed with Joshe's new arrangement... he has expanded into 4 rooms now... 2 for adults, and two for kids!

Have visited Maile Saba, and have started training with the guys there!

Alos started sorting stock currently housed at Sara Lees.

Visiting Githurai on Monday, and Kawangware on Wednesday!

SO GOOD TO BE BACK!!!!

ITS AUGUST N STILL NO DONOR... ARGH!!!

hI aLL!!

Well, still no donor despite sending loads of letters and E mails, and fretting over variuos proposals, re writing them, and then again ... and then again!!!

Discovered UK runs on burocracy ...

Want to get back to my Kenya to get my libraries back on course, n get more open!!!

KIDSLIBS TRUST IN - UK??

Hi All!

Well, Anne is in UK trying DESPERATELY to find donors to get her back to Kenya to keep making community based information centres in Kenya!! There are another two centres waiting to be made this year and I cant make them form Bakewell, Derbyshire!!!

I have given one talk already here, and am due to give a second on July 9th to Bakewell Rotary Club, who have helped the Trust in the past. I have been scanning Web, and asking other africa based projects for ideas on finding donor funding.

GOT ANY IDEAS??

While I am in the UK I hope to be able to go to talk to people direct, instead of just sending E mails!!!

TRACTORS FOR LITERACY

I have contacted Massey Fergusson re donating a tractor to Sipili centre, as we could hire out the tractor- with our own driver- and use the profit to maintain the centre. It may even be possible to start building our purpose built centre there with the money, as tractors are badly needed there.

I am contemplating contacting local farmer groups to twin somehow with farmers in Laikipia. Here is a big farming area: Bakewell has an agricultural centre where cattle and other livestock are sold every monday.

I am told Sipili centre, Laikipia West is being well used!!! People are flocking in!!! YESSSS!!!!

Despite a few hiccups the first KidsLibs staff meeting happened today! Patrick took my car for service too, as he is still using it to collect book donations etc.

Bakewell Library (free!!!) is letting me use their computer internet access for free.. this is available to everyone!!! One day our centres will be able to offer this..... ONE DAY!

MAKING KIDSLIBS TRUST A CHARITY IN UK
I have discovered that many companies here will only consider helping if we are registered as a charity in UK.SOO I hope to do this whilst I am here! I need someone to be the coordinator though... ANY VOLUNTEERS?? When we are a registered charitiy we can then apply to Comic Relief among others, Who are ideal for what we need!!!

PLEASE HELP!!!!

TALK SOON!!!!

Anne who wants to get back to Kenya ASAP!!!!!

Sipili Centre open and running!!!!

Well today we opened KidLibs Centre number 5!!! Sipili Community Library is now open to the public!!
After planning on having an unofficial opening rather than a big official one, it still took two hours of speeches and performances!!!

BUT these were wonderful!!!

The mural on the library wall painted by John Githuri

The chairman of the library committee Mr Kikrop, the ex chairman of Lariak Primary School Mzee Karanja, and the present chair of Lariak Primary school, Benjamin all spoke.. also Michael the current secretary.. who managed to bring the last of our chairs!! Children from our drama group performed several sketches and poems, and big children from Lariak Day Secondary School performed some wonderful poems and skits dealing with library, knowledge etc.


Visitors came from Nairobi, representing Mathare North centre (Steve), Eastleigh centre(Joshe), Kawangware centre (Jackson) and from Maile Saba- who should be next to open!!!!- Kennedy. Alos Susan Phillips came, who runs our bookclubs and pen pal clubs at Kawangware, and ran the creative writing group 'Trading Fives' at Mathare North last year.All were duelly impressed with our beautiful new library here in Sipili!!! Steve and Kennedy helped Joseph enrol 36 members, with many more waiting to enrole in the next few days!!!Sipili kids drama group

Thank you to all who came and all who saw, and all who took part!!!!


OFF to Nairobi 2moro, for meetings Sundaty and Monday, before flying to UK on Monday night... My home is Sipili, Kenya.. my spirit roams free here!!!!

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