Send a Book to Africa

Send a book to Africa

 

African Insights Blog African Insights Blog - June 2007

Send a Book…to Africa...

September 3rd I am back off to Uganda.  Taking that long flight from Seattle to Amsterdam and then off to Entebbe, Uganda…The things are coming together for me and this time it means putting everything into storage while I am gone…everything…my African drums, tables, chairs, carvings…even my favorite pots and pans ( I enjoy cooking).  I am taking some good knives with me and quite a few of spices that I will use in the guesthouses in Uganda.

of this meaning, that today was sort of a thing day.  I looked at this thing and that thing, in most cases realizing that they are merely things and though they have brought me pleasure and enjoyment … they are simply things and the attachment to them has waned over the years, realizing that all of them can be replaced, but friendships and relationships are more important than the possessions in the place I call home right now.

There is one exception to all of this…my books…they are like friends, they have brought me enjoyment, laughter, some even evoked a tear or two…I have found that some books are like a meaningful conversation, and often I will put a book down and say something to myself regarding the passage I just read. Saint Andrew School gets a library in Kampala, Uganda

This afternoon I went through my library, taking some of the books out and handling them…Reliving the memories that they gave me as their gift on a cold winter evening near the fireplace or on warm June day on my deck overlooking the harbor.

Books are like old friends and ever since I was a young boy growing up in post-war Germany, they brought me joy, knowledge, information and the ability to look beyond my present world and circumstance to the places I read about such as America, Africa and Asia. 

Our town library was in a former hospital, the same place that I spent some time at when I recovered from a 10 meter fall off our balcony. Though there were thousands of books lining the walls, one could still get  a whiff of that unique hospital scent…

I read most everywhere in those days, even after I was tucked into bed by my mother, out came my flashlight and another hour would be spent enjoying the adventure sagas of Karl May that famous German author that most every German child grew up with.  Books always have had a special place in my life and still do so today…Many of you probably feel similarly as I do…

Now…go with me to Africa—to Uganda….Children growing up, many of them might even attend school for a time, learn to read, but there is one missing element in their lives that we have so bountifully—BOOKS!! 

There may be text books, instructional books, but there will be no school library (or one with old and outdated books such as encyclopedias from the west) and far too few lending libraries in Africa.  In most homes there will also be an absence of that shelf with books on it.  You and I may have filled bookshelves throughout our homes…., but in Uganda you can count yourself quite fortunate to have even ONE book in your home—certainly not a children’s book!

African children are surrounded by the aches of life whereas most children in the Western world are insulated from life’s struggles..  There are not many ways for Africa’s children to vent their youthful vigor—indeed they’re lucky to have one soccer ball in their neighborhood; most of their days will consist of performiThis is Preciousng mundane daily chores.

As I spent times with children in Uganda, I thought how simple it would be to create a library for the ones with whom I worked and made regular contact—a place they could visit and quietly read, or check out a book and take it home and become acquainted with its characters and storyline.

Pause to consider children like Precious or Pretty…two girls, six and eleven years old…they are now in school, but, several months ago when I visited their home in Uganda,  there was one bed, a small couch, a chair, a small radio…and NO BOOKS!  Their father has passed on because of AIDS, their mother is AIDS afflicted and even these two precious little gThis 11 year old Prettyirls have been diagnosed with this deadly disease.

I want to give children like Precious and Pretty—and other Ugandan children-- times with some good friends—good books!!  Times where they just might roar with laughter, forget their present world (even if just for a few hours) and dream of what could be just as I did and as you probably did when you were a child.

If you would like to help a child in Uganda by giving them a book or two…(the age range we are considering is between six and fourteen)…please consider this.   Some of you might have a few books around the house that could use some new friends in Africa. It’s not that difficult to send them to East Africa and can be done at a reasonable cost from the USA…ask for the $11.50 flat rate envelope that can easily be shipped to Uganda with two or three paperback books…the children who will read them will be grateful to you for giving them hours of joy, laughter, meaningful thoughts and so much more….HOPE!!!

Below are instructions as to how to ship books to Africa...

Thank you for reading this African Insights Blog…and thank you for helping to make my “book dream” a reality…jon

 

How Can I Help?  How can I get a book to Uganda?

I was asking myself those same questions.  I am glad that I discovered some answers where you could easily send quality books to Uganda. Literally thousands of children will read what you send.  We will of course cover the books, so they will endure handling by the countless number of children who will enjoy the treasures you are sending.

To begin with: 

  • Send books that are appropriate for children from Grade One to Seven.  That is Primary School in Uganda.

  • You can also send books for secondary Students.

  • Try to send hardback books if you can. They last longer and can be easily covered with plastic.

  • They can be used books, but current.

  • You can send more than one, but I recommend you keep the package size reasonable. It makes it easier to get at the Ugandan post office.

Books can be placed into a bubble wrap envelope and sent.  You can also use an Online British bookseller (Africa Bookseller), specializing in a lot of African books. They do ship, but it is a bit more expensive, excellent collection of African orientated books. (Flat rate International rate from any US post office is about 11 dollars...you can fit about 3 paperbacks into package.)

Send your books to this address:

Send your books to this address:

KIN Initiative

Attention: Ben Ssenoga

PO Box 31135 Clock Tower, Kampala,   Uganda

When you send a book, please email Ben Ssenoga and let him know the book or books you have sent so I can notify them to expect the shipment.

 

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The Children of Africa Section

Stories of African Children, Pictures of African Children, Life for children in Africa


Africa's Children-Struggling to SurviveAfrica's Children Struggling to Survive:  Life is a daily struggle for the children of Africa.  The things we take for granted in the west are often simply absent.  From nutrition to hygiene, from education to the lack of books for reading, find out what life is like for the children of Africa.


Meet Monie and LeakeyMeet Monie and Leakey:  Two children and their stories.  Two different countries, Monie in Rwanda and Leakey in Kenya, but the struggle to survive is similar.  One a child of an unjust war that resulted in a genocide, the other child a boy of the streets in Nairobi.  Both give you insight into the daily lives of children in Africa.

You will be glad to have read these two stories.


A boy like mePeter - a boy just like me: The story of an African Boy and his triumph against all odds.  Peter came from a slum in Eldoret in Kenya.  His story is tragic, but profound.  Thrown away at the time of his birth, raised by a grandmother, sleeping for days without food, and yet there is a strong will to survive.


Life in a Kampala Neighborhood

Life in a Kampala Neighborhood:  I spent some months living in an area of Kampala where you will not many a western person. My home, was in a small courtyard where one of the children I became friends with was Axum.  An account of what life is like for people in Kampala, Uganda and how children live in tough times.


A day in a school in Africa - Kampala UgandaA day in a School in Africa:  A day at Saint Andrew's Nursery and Primary School in Kampala, Uganda.  Get a feel of what school is like in a Kampala neighborhood. Get a feel of what school life is like for a child at Saint Andrew's Nursery and Primary in Kansanga, Kampala, Uganda.


Life Saving Medicine - Soap and Water:  Death comes to thousands of children in Africa, all it takes to prevent it is soap and water.  What people do not realize is that soap and water will eliminate 40% of children's sicknesses and diseases.  The best medicine for African children is simple soap and water.  The problem is access to water, besides water in many cases costs money and has to be carried a distance, so you avoid using it, even for washing of hand in the case of children.


Aids and the children of AfricaAids and the Children of Africa:  Each day more children become orphans because of the ravages of AIDS.  Many children are born being HIV positive and life ahead of them is simply tragic.  The emotional scars, the inner and outer pain is great for the children of Africa. 


Culture – Patriarchal Ways and Education of Girls:  African Parents are deeply concerned for the education of their children.  Boys are pushed to be educated, girls on the other hand, if there is a lack of funds, they just might be the first to stay home.  The poorer the family, the bigger the chance that the girls in the family will stay home and help at home. 67% of girls in slums drop out of school while only 38% of boys do so.


Born in Africa - Born in the USABorn in the USA and Born in Africa -Where you are born, determines how you live:  For most children born in Africa, life is simply tougher than being born in the west.  Life for a child in Africa is simply a struggle.  From the moment of birth life becomes a fight for survival.

 


The children of the LRAThe children of the LRA:  This section deals with the children of Northern Uganda.  Find out about Child soldiers of the LRA, what happens to abducted children, the children who evaded captivity by becoming night commuters, the stories of abducted children.  The person behind the abductions of children, Joseph Kony.


Bugolobi Church for ChildrenThey just keep on coming:  There is Church and then there the unique, one of a kind church for children in the Bugolobi area of Kampala. It is amazing sight as children  stream in rain or shine to come to church.  They come mostly from slum areas nearby, but quite a few walk several miles to come to church on a Sunday morning.


Children born into slumsChildren born into Slums:  A child that is born into a slum in Africa does not have much of a chance in life.  From day to day survival which ranges access to clean water and food to education, it is all about money.  The future for such a child means being locked into the cycle of poverty and rarely is there a  way out for such a child.


Children - Born into slums-The Solution=Education:  How do you help a child in a slum in Africa?  Education is the solution and even with education alone there is no guarantee since  here in Africa getting a job, any job is simply tough, without an education there is no hope for a meaningful future and a breaking of the cycle of poverty.


Children Born into Slums - Child Sponsorship:  Sponsor a Child in a slum in Kampala.  His or her parents have no money to help and assist their children.  There is not enough money even for food, at times for water, at times to pay to go to a latrine.  Life is simply tough. When it comes to education, children stay at home, work around the house, take care of the other children and miss out on being a child.


Start a Library in Africa for ChildrenStart a Library in Africa for Children:  Libraries, one can spend hours in them.  In Uganda, most schools do not have lending libraries.  If there are some books, they are behind a locked door, behind glass, to be protected.  Children are deprived of books that would allow them to grow and become.  Start a library in Africa is a project with the intention of getting thousands of books into hands of children that will allow them to released in their imagination and heart.


The children of Africa in PicturesAfrican Children Photo Album:  The pictures of Africa's Children tell their story. One can read the stories on this site, but when you see the pictures of the children of Africa, your heart simply melts.  Meet the children of Africa through pictures.  There are lots of pages for you to peruse and enjoy.


Make a difference in the life of a childMake a difference in the Life of a Child:  It is one thing to read about the children of Africa, look at the picture, but coming here and being with the children is most awesome thing one can experience.  Not only will you make a difference in the life of a child, but a difference in your own life.  One to two weeks that will be life changing.


What can I do?What can I do?  This is a question that I am often asked, here are some practical answers as to how you can help and assist the children of Africa.  One of the most inspiring ways is coming here to spend a few weeks and visit.  It is one of the best investments you can ever make.

 

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Last updated: 21 August 2010

Send a Book to Africa

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