Back to Kenya!!!

I'm goin' Home!

Will be back in Kenya in April! We have funding from BookAid International (courtesy of Agrekko) to make our new library in Gacharageini village in Muranga district! 8 trainees (Yes, I did say EIGHT!) are chomping at the bit waiting to start their training! This should take about 6 months all up, during which time Anne will be living in Gacharageini village- with some forays down to Nairobi!

Anne will also be able to create the new Little Hands Big Steps collections for all of our libraries! This courtesy of a donation received in January from Holy Trinity church South Wimbledon. SOOO looking forward to introducing this to other centres, and watching the responses of both toddlers and their carers.. and their neighbours, family members, friends etc etc!

Anne also has MANY people waiting to visit our libraries on her return, including an Italian NGO and a development worker.

Also dying to see how our new building for Sipili centre is shaping up- again, many thanks to Safaricom Foundation. We are hoping to re open in our new premesis mid April... fingers crossed!

We are DESPERATELY hoping that further more permenant funding will arrive while Anne is in Kenya.

In order to make our libraries and develop them Anne needs to be in Kenya to advise and train staff in this new concept of libraries, attitudes to books, and to learning and education. Eventually the concept will stick, but currently much guidence and training is still needed. This obviously involves funding Anne to live in Kenya (rent, medical insurance, food, work permit renewal etc etc).

There is our challenge!

Talk soon!

We are still workin....

Although I am still in Scotland (STILL trying to find donors to get me back to Kenya to continue developing our libraries, AND to create new ones) the work continues!!!

Sipili Library update!
Latest piccies of our new library building!! (Feb 12th 2010)

It is starting to look like a building now!!! Thank you Safaricom Foundation, and THANK YOU to Patrick who has been doing up weekly to supervise the construction- DESPITE having no vehicle to get there (ours if off the road until we can get new tyres).

Edinburgh Half Marathon.

We are now up to possibly 15 'runners' willing to run for KLT!! Charlie's friend Sophia has mobilised Cyprus to sponsor her! Hope we can raise at least some money to make a dent in our target of £50,000.This will pay Anne, Patrick and Joseph (Sipili), develop exisiting five centres, and create two new ones, and keep us operational for a year- with luck!

Hope!
I have been reading 'Three Cups of Tea' by Greg Mortenson (a wonderful true story of perseverence..) he found a donor to help him create schools through his mountaineering contacts... SURELY there must be someone with money who can SEE what we are achieving and HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO THE CHILDREN- AND YOUTH- OF KENYA??!

BookAid International.
The MYSA libraries have now completed their assessment forms of the books they received from BookAid in December, and have also completed teh list for their requirements for this year. I will go through these this weekend and get them off to BookAid International on Monday. Hope we are in time!

All libraries are busy collecting inspirational stories from their users, about how the libraries have affected them and their lives. We can use these stories hopefully to generate interest.. Maybe put a few on the blog too!!

KEEP THE FAITH!!!

Anne

From Little Acorns do mighty oaks grow...

Here are piccies of the building work started as of 2nd week of January at

Sipili KLT centre.!

Patrick has gone up today to see what has happened in the last week. Very exciting! Thank you Safaricom Foundation!

ALSO the bags are nearly finished for our Little Hands Big Steps project to expand into all of our centres! Next steps will be photos of three year olds decorating the bags with their hand prints! We hope to do this at Eastleigh MYSA centre Then books, then training .. then launch!!

All KLT centres are now busy with their new consigment of books from BookAid International! They are currently assessing the new selection, completing forms for what they want for next year, and adding new materials to stock!! Now we have 6 centres completing forms! Githurai and Maili Saba MYSA libraries are now on board!!

We are still desperately seeking a donor to build our new centre in Murang'a district.. Books are all ready, sustainability set up...just need the building!

Talk soon!!!


Anne

Sankofa

Hi All!

Well Sankofa: a journal of African Children's and Young Adult Literature Volume 8 2009 is out in USA... AND WE ARE IN IT!!! Our Patron Beverley Naidoo has written a great article about her book Burn my Heart, and she talks a lot about KLT- including about Little Hands Big Steps, and our Super Angels girls groups!! Do have a look, and let me know if you manage to see it!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

...and there's more...

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!!!

Emm Wiki.. be proud!!!

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!!!

Santa is coming- to Sipili!!! Watch this space!

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.